Lived Experiences of Women Receiving Medical Treatments for Breast Cancer in Ghana: A Qualitative Study

Nuworza Kugbey,Joel Yarney,Kwaku Oppong Asante,Verna Vanderpuye,Anna Meyer-Weitz

doi:10.1177/21582440211045077

Abstract

Breast cancer diagnosis and its treatment present women with significant challenges which require adjustment in several domains to ensure good health outcomes. Any psychosocial interventions to address the challenges need to be informed by empirical evidence. However, there is dearth of empirical literature in this regard in the Ghanaian context. To address some of these gaps, we explored the lived experiences of women living with breast in Ghana to inform healthcare practice and breast cancer research. In-depth individual interviews were conducted among 11 breast cancer patients receiving medical treatment for breast cancer. The interpretative phenomenological approach was used in the data analysis. Findings from the study showed that participants’ lived experiences cluster around three major themes; burdens of breast cancer treatments, alternative/herbal medicine use, and breast cancer stigma. These findings underscore the need for a multidisciplinary treatment approach to achieve optimum health outcomes among these groups of women.

Highlights

Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment among women present significant burdens which are likely to influence their quality of life
The lived experiences of breast cancer may be rooted in the sociocultural contexts and understanding the experiences of women living with breast cancer becomes paramount
These experiences are likely to shed light on the plights of women living with breast cancer to inform appropriate psychosocial interventions tailored to the unique experiences of these women

Summary

Introduction

Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment among women present significant burdens which are likely to influence their quality of life. These challenges include physical, psychosocial, and spiritual distortions which negatively impact on the health and wellbeing of women living with breast cancer (Aziato & Clegg-Lamptey, 2015; Kagee et al, 2018; Kugbey et al, 2019a). The lived experiences of breast cancer may be rooted in the sociocultural contexts and understanding the experiences of women living with breast cancer becomes paramount. These experiences are likely to shed light on the plights of women living with breast cancer to inform appropriate psychosocial interventions tailored to the unique experiences of these women

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion