Lived Experience and Coping Mechanisms of Cervical Cancer Patients: A Phenomenological Study at Black Lion Hospital
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Date
2019-11
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Addis ababa University
Abstract
Cervical cancer is the fourth most prevalent disease worldwide and the second highest prevalent disease in Ethiopia. As a result, a high number of morbidity and mortality with cervical cancer are reported especially in Sub Saharan Africa. There are associated factors for cervical cancer increment mainly woman behavioral characteristics, woman‟s poor knowledge and practices of cervical cancer screening, health professionals lack of knowledge on cervical cancer disease and inaccessibility of health services which results delaying of getting the services. To meet the general objectives qualitative research method was used to explore the lived experiences and coping mechanisms of cervical cancer patient after they have been diagnosed. Non probable purposively sampling technique used to fulfill the inclusion criteria so unstructured in-depth interview, key informant guideline and observation were used as method of tools for data collection. Women and health workers have low knowledge about CC that women experienced repeated visit in the facility, long referral chain between health facilities and waiting longer time to get the service at Black Lion Hospital were the contributing factors for the delay and high degree of CC. As a result, woman gets reach to get the service when the cancer is already at advanced stage which alters their usual life style. CC patient experienced new life definition after they have been diagnosed because the disease affects their psychology, social, spiritual, financial and their health condition. Sadness, anxiety, depression, fear of social stigmatization and recurrences of the disease plus the challenging experience to cover the costs for their medical bills and everyday transport cost was the major finding of the study. However, getting psychosocial supports from their family members and the spirituality enable these women to cope up with their circumstances. Therefore, working integrally with multidisciplinary
professional is vital to enhance the quality life of CC patient, policy maker should design effective strategies on screening and treatment programs to alleviate the problems, still further research‟s need on the area including the experiences of CC patient family plus create awareness to the wider community on the issues is the social work implication.
Key words: cervical cancer, experience, psychosocial, financial and coping mechanisms.
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Keywords
Cervical cancer, experience, psychosocial, financial and coping mechanisms.