Availability, accessibility, and impact of social support on breast cancer treatment among breast cancer patients in Kumasi, Ghana: A qualitative study

Abstract

Background Breast cancer is one of the top types of cancer affecting women both in the developed and developing countries. Breast cancer is a chronic and debilitating condition for anybody diagnosed of it and as well as their family. Social support has been shown to offset or moderate the impact of stress caused by the illness and other related negative outcomes. Objective The objective of this study is to assess the availability, accessibility, and impact of social support on treatment for breast cancer patients at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH), Ashanti Region in Ghana. Materials and methods A phenomenological study was employed. An in-depth interview guide was used to collect data on socio-demographic variables and social support availability and accessibility from 15 breast cancer patients. Thematic analysis was employed. Results Majority of the women who participated in the study were postmenopausal women with an average age of 55 years. The study also revealed that all the participants in this study received one kind of support or another including informational, financial, emotional, and tangible support and reported varying positive impacts on their lives as a result of the support received. For those who received support, the prognosis and general quality of life appeared promising and well-adjusted than those who reported not having received any form of support.

The Influence of Social Family Support on Depression, Anxiety and Quality of Life Among Women with Breast Cancer: Literature Review

“…They also received information about the effect or impact that would be received from cancer therapy or treatment, such as hair loss, weight loss and appetite. 16 The findings in this study are in line with the results of a qualitative study that provided the informational support found in women with breast cancer receiving endocrine therapy. This informational support is provided by health workers by providing information related to the duration and duration of treatment, the effects of treatment and the benefits that will be received from the treatment being carried out.…”

“…Their social support comes from various sources, namely family, hospitals, friends, places of worship and various other sources. 16 The results shown in an important study of the social support received by patients with breast cancer are nurses. The nurse provides important information regarding the condition of the disease and provides motivation and encouragement and this makes the patient feel calmer.…”

Social Support To Women With Breast Cancer Undergoing Treatment

“…Hasil akhir yang diperoleh pada tahap ini adalah 6 artikel (Gambar 1). [10] Menggali perasaan pasien Dukungan emosional Paladino et al, 2019 [13] Keluarga selalu menemani Anak selalu membuat tersenyum Adam et al, 2020 [15] Keluarga dan teman menjenguk Anak membuat hati dan diri tenang Pasangan selalu menenangkan Carr et al, 2019 [9] Keluarga selalu ada Keluarga menjadi tempat bercerita Burton et al, 2015 [14] Mencari informasi tindakan Dukungan informasi Tompkins et al, 2016 [10] Komunikasi dengan breast cancer nurse (BCN) Paladino et al, 2019 [13] Mencarikan informasi tindakan Adam et al, 2020 [15] Informasi dari tenaga Kesehatan Informasi penyakit kanker payudara Dokter menjelaskan kondisi pasien Carr et al, 2019 [9] Infromasi dari tenaga kesehatan Ginter et al, 2019 [12] Informasi dari komunitas kanker payudara Ginter et al, 2019 [12] Mencari komunitas kanker payudara Mengikuti kegiatan komunitas kanker payudara…”

“…Sebagian besar wanita penderita kanker payudara mengalami efek negatif, antara lain tidak menerima, khawatir, bahkan takut dengan kondisinya. Kondisi ini membutuhkan keputusan yang harus diambil bersama antara pasien, keluarga, dan profesional kesehatan [9,10,[12][13][14][15]. Informasi yang jelas, ringkas, dan disesuaikan dengan kondisi yang ada, serta mudah digunakan akan lebih membantu pasien bahkan keluarga untuk mendapatkan informasi yang mereka butuhkan.…”

Ascertaining breast cancer patient experiences through a journey map: A qualitative study protocol

“…Qualitative studies are gaining relevance to better comprehend specific aspects, such as willingness (or not) to participate in these studies [ 20 ]; breast cancer symptom recognition and evaluation [ 21 , 22 ]; the importance of social support [ 23 ] or physical exercise [ 24 ] on survival and quality of life of these individuals. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies that analyze patients’ experience from diagnosis to treatment and follow up.…”