Symptom Perceptions and Help-Seeking Behaviours of Omani Patients Diagnosed with Late-Stage Colorectal Cancer: A Qualitative Study.

Mahera Al Suqri,Mansour Al-Moundhri,Huda Al-Awaisi,Mohammed Al-Azri

doi:10.31557/apjcp.2021.22.2.427

Abstract

Objective: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth leading cause of mortality in Oman, with most patients diagnosed at advanced stages. Early diagnosis of CRC improves prognosis and survival rate. The aim of this study was to explore the symptom perceptions and help-seeking behaviours (HSBs) of Omani patients diagnosed with late-stage CRC. Methods:Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 16 patients. Results:Four main themes emerged, including normalisation and ignorance (patients felt healthy, perceived symptoms as not being serious and related to dietary habits, concealed them or prioritised work and family commitments), self-empowerment and self-management (patients were stubborn, employed ‘wait and see’ approach, used symptomatic or herbal treatments), disclosure and seeking help (patients disclosed symptoms to family members or friends, sought medical help only when symptoms worsened, visited faith healers or travelled abroad for treatment) and healthcare professionals (patients attributed treatment or diagnosis delays to lack of continuity of care, loss of trust in doctors or delays in referral).Conclusion:Patients attributed delays in CRC diagnosis to several factors based on their perceptions of symptoms. Most HSBs driven by sociocultural and emotional causes. Increased awareness of CRC symptoms and modifying HSBs can encourage early diagnosis. Prompting patients to disclose CRC-related symptoms may aid referral decisions.

Highlights

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide after lung and breast cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths after lung cancer (Nikolouzakis et al, 2018)
The aim of this study was to explore the symptom perceptions and help-seeking behaviours (HSBs) of Omani patients diagnosed with late-stage CRC
No previous studies conducted in Oman have yet explored the symptom perceptions and HSBs of Omani patients diagnosed with late-stage CRC

Summary

Introduction

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide after lung and breast cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths after lung cancer (Nikolouzakis et al, 2018). In Oman, the incidence and prevalence of CRC has increased dramatically over the past 15 years, with approximately 60% of patients presenting at delayed stages at the time of diagnosis (i.e. stages III and IV) (Al-Lawati et al, 2019). A delay in diagnosis is defined as a prolonged interval between the onset of the first symptom of cancer and the start of treatment while the case navigates the diagnostic pathway from patient to primary care and secondary care (Andersen et al, 2009; Dobson et al, 2014). Few frameworks are used in cancer diagnostic research, Andersen presented a general model of total patient delay (‘the Andersen model’) to account for the total time

Methods

Results

Conclusion