Factors related to incomplete treatment of breast cancer in Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract

Purpose The burden of cancer in Africa is an enlarging public health challenge. Breast cancer in Ghana is the second most common cancer among Ghanaian women and the proportion of diagnosed patients who complete prescribed treatment is estimated to be very limited, thereby potentially adding to lower survival and poor quality of life after diagnosis. The objective of this study was to identify the patient and system factors related to incomplete treatment of breast cancer among patients. Methods This study was conducted at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. We interviewed 117 breast cancer patients and next of kin of breast cancer patients diagnosed from 2008 to 2010. Results Islamic religion, seeking treatment with traditional healers, and lack of awareness about national health insurance coverage of breast cancer treatment were predictors of incomplete treatment. Conclusions The results of this study support that Ghanaian women with diagnosed breast cancer have multiple addressable and modifiable patient factors that may deter them from completing the prescribed treatment. The results highlight the need for developing and testing specific interventions about the importance of completing treatment with a special focus on addressing religious, cultural, and system navigation barriers in developing countries.

Factors contributing to delays in diagnosis of breast cancers in Ghana, West Africa

“…In many African countries, women believe that a diagnosis of breast cancer is a death sentence, mainly because their only experience with the disease is through friends and relatives who have sought medical help when it is too late and treatment is ineffective [6]. Costs of care [18] or lack of awareness of health care coverage [19] can also be an impediment to women seeking medical care especially since costs of a biopsy, pathology, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy often need to be covered by the patients. Finally, there are reports that women avoid medical care because of a fear of mastectomy [8, 20], especially given documented instances of husbands leaving their wives after such procedures [21].…”

A Review on Breast Cancer Care in Africa

“…At a minimum, patients face 3 or more nodes that are widely divergent [44]. A study done in Ghana found that being a member of the Islamic religion, seeking treatment at traditional healers, and a lack of awareness of national health insurance coverage for BC treatment were the main factors that affected treatment completion [45]. A hospital-based study from Ghana revealed that patients diagnosed with late-stage cancer who were put on adjuvant therapy with hormone receptor status evaluation were more adherent to the treatment guidelines compared with those that never had the hormone receptor status determined [46].…”

Effect of intervention management care program on improving quality of life outcome among mastectomy women with diabetic: A comparative study

“…Intervention management care program was developed by the researchers after reviewing of scientific research and review of literature [23,24] and also after assessment phase and defined needs and problems of study women the intervention management care program was a simple Arabic language.…”