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Exploring stigma as a barrier to cancer service engagement with breast cancer survivors in Kampala, Uganda
Author(s) -
Meacham Elizabeth,
Orem Jackson,
Nakigudde Gertrude,
Zujewski Jo Anne,
Rao Deepa
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.4215
Subject(s) - breast cancer , psychosocial , stigma (botany) , thematic analysis , psychological intervention , qualitative research , social stigma , grounded theory , medicine , social support , cancer , breast cancer awareness , gerontology , psychology , family medicine , psychiatry , psychotherapist , social science , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , sociology
Abstract Objective To understand the role of stigma in the delay of cancer service engagement by women with breast cancer in Kampala, Uganda. Background Women in Sub‐Saharan African countries are twice as likely to die from cancer as women in high‐income countries, which is largely attributable to late diagnosis. While breast cancer‐related stigma has been identified in Sub‐Saharan Africa, limited research focuses on how stigma impacts the behavior of breast cancer patients in Uganda. Methods This qualitative study used a grounded theory approach to examine illness narratives from 20 breast cancer survivors in Uganda, gathered through semistructured interviews. Results Thematic analysis showed that perceived and internalized stigma associated with breast cancer influenced care engagement throughout illness, delaying engagement and inhibiting treatment completion. Women identified key factors for overcoming stigma including acceptance of diagnosis, social support, and understanding of breast cancer. Conclusion The growing burden of mortality associated with breast cancer in Uganda can be mitigated by improving early detection and treatment engagement through interventions which account for key psychosocial barriers such as stigma.