The breast cancer experience of rural women: a literature review

Abstract

This report is a review of studies that focus on rural breast cancer survivorship. It includes a total of 14 studies using large databases and 27 other studies using qualitative and quantitative methods. In our review of this literature, we identified four broad themes, including access to treatment and treatment type, medical providers and health information, psychosocial adjustment and coping, and social support and psychological support services. We review the findings of the rural breast cancer survivorship studies within each of these broad themes. A few of the findings of the review include that rural and urban women receive different primary treatments for breast cancer, that rural women may have greater difficulty negotiating their traditional gender roles during and after treatment, that rural women desire greater health-related information about their breast cancer, and that rural women have less access to mental health therapy. The review discusses the implications of these findings as well as the weakness in the literature.

Experiences of Turkish Women with Breast Cancer During the Treatment Process and Facilitating Coping Factors

“…Patients have problems such as obtaining treatment, reaching physicians and struggling with bureaucratic barriers. According to the results of a review regarding women living in rural regions by Bettencourt et al (2007), women with breast cancer experience problems of transportation and accommodation. In addition, patients are negatively affected because they cannot adequately communicate with physicians and have to wait for a long time to receive the test results.…”

Rural disadvantage in breast cancer health-care service use and outcomes: quantifying the effects of individual risk factors and health service risk factors

“…A diagnosis of breast cancer is a distressing event that affects HRQOL. Breast cancer survivors have to deal with general psychological distress and anxiety about the recurrence of cancer [36]. The stress may be increased in women with breast cancer living in rural areas, where breast cancer is associated with a greater level of stigma in the rural culture [36]; they are also likely to face additional stress due to the time and financial costs of travelling a greater distance to access health services [36].…”

“…Breast cancer survivors have to deal with general psychological distress and anxiety about the recurrence of cancer [36]. The stress may be increased in women with breast cancer living in rural areas, where breast cancer is associated with a greater level of stigma in the rural culture [36]; they are also likely to face additional stress due to the time and financial costs of travelling a greater distance to access health services [36]. Further, the lack of mental health services available to women with breast cancer living in rural areas is another rural disadvantage that could lead to poorer HRQOL [37].…”

“…One possible explanation is the lack of mental health support services in rural areas [83]. In addition, women with breast cancer living in rural areas are more susceptible to physical isolation [36], which may be associated with poorer HRQOL. …”

“…Rural-urban differences in the breast cancer experience of women have been systematically reviewed [36]. Across the 41 studies reviewed, rural women were likely to report difficulties in breast cancer health service access, such as a greater distance to breast cancer specialists and treatments.…”