Going the distance—Experiences of women with gynaecological cancer residing in rural remote north Queensland

Abstract

Women who are diagnosed with gynaecological cancer face a difficult journey. For women residing in areas geographically removed from major health providers the journey can be much more difficult. While they 'make do' and 'struggle on', their lived experiences can provide valuable insight into the complex issues surrounding a cancer diagnosis in rural areas. This study aimed to understand their experiences through the women's stories and sought to identify the major themes impacting on these stories. This qualitative phenomenological study undertook interviews with seven women with gynaecological cancer who reside in rural and remote north Queensland. Analysis of the data collected revealed three themes: seeking answers at a distance; sharing information within a small community; and experiences of navigating the health system. The results show the inherent difficulties in accessing support in rural areas and the difficulties associated with travelling considerable distances to undergo treatment.

Disease isolation: The challenges faced by mothers living with multiple myeloma in rural and regional Australia

“…The need to travel for treatment may also have exacerbated the impact and upheaval associated with the cancer diagnosis, especially as the participants had dependent children residing with them, and therefore had to consider the needs of their family in making their decisions regarding treatment. This finding is similar to previous research that has found that treatment-related travel contributes to high levels of stress and disruption to family life (Bettencourt et al, 2007;Clavarino et al, 2002), and intensifies the disruption created by a cancer diagnosis (Baldwin and Usher, 2008;Hegney et al, 2005).…”

“…The problems associated with living with rare cancers has been reported in previous research (Baldwin and Usher, 2008;Kelly and Dowling, 2011;Wray et al, 2007), with findings suggesting that patients may perceive a stigma attached to myeloma, which is compounded by a lack of knowledge about the condition, that ultimately limits the potential for discussion with others (Kelly and Dowling, 2011). It is possible that perceived stigma of having an unknown cancer prevented participants from being able to establish the support networks they desired, while a generalised lack of knowledge inhibited their access to appropriate supportive care and empathy from both the wider population of cancer patients in their home towns and, indeed, the health care profession.…”

“…Examining the wider literature on cancer patients in rural settings, findings suggest that the demands of travel for treatment (Baldwin and Usher, 2008;Hegney et al, 2005), isolation from family and support networks (Baldwin and Usher, 2008;Hegney et al, 2005) and age (DiSipio et al, 2009;Girgis et al, 2000) may have profound impacts on the quality of life and needs of rural cancer patients. Specifically, Girgis et al (2000) found that younger women with breast cancer are three times more likely to report some need for help compared to older women.…”

“…Specifically, Girgis et al (2000) found that younger women with breast cancer are three times more likely to report some need for help compared to older women. Furthermore, Baldwin and Usher (2008) found that women with gynaecological cancers reported difficulties accessing local support services and challenges regarding relocation for treatment.…”

Experiences of Gynecological Cancer through Perspectives of Existential Philosophy: A Qualitative Meta-Synthesis Study

“…Araştırma kapsamına alınan 35 çalışmanın 3'ü ulusal,10,11,39] 32'si uluslar arası [4][5][6][7][8][9][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48] yayındır. Bu araştırmalarda verilerin, 28'unun bireysel derinlemesine görüşme, dördünün odak grup görüşmesi, üçünün doküman analizi (biri web tabanlı olmak üzere) olarak elde edildiği saptanmıştır (Tablo 1).…”