Information needs of black prostate cancer patients receiving treatment within the South African public healthcare system

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dc.contributor.author Taljaard, Melissa
dc.contributor.author Lovric, Germaine T.
dc.contributor.author Makenzi, Aviwe M.
dc.contributor.author Kawinga, Prudence
dc.date.accessioned 2021-08-10T11:51:01Z
dc.date.available 2021-08-10T11:51:01Z
dc.date.issued 2020-12
dc.description.abstract INTRODUCTION. Prostate cancer is the leading cancer type in black South African men. The South African public healthcare sector serves more than 84% of the population, which includes many of these men. Previous evidence suggests that patients’ information needs are influenced by culture. No studies could be found that explored the information needs of black men diagnosed with prostate cancer in a developing country from the patients’ perspectives. Therefore, this study set out to investigate the information needs of black men diagnosed with prostate cancer in a South African public healthcare setting. METHODS. Nine participants who had completed a radical course of external beam radiation therapy for prostate cancer were interviewed. These participants had gained experience from their cancer journey in this setting and could therefore provide information-rich perspectives about their information needs from the time of diagnosis to end of treatment. Interviews were conducted in the participants’ preferred language, with three interviews conducted in Zulu with an English translator. RESULTS. Important themes that emerged included patients' desire to receive more information regarding what was happening in the diagnosis stage, the implications of having prostate cancer and the origin of their symptoms. The participants expressed a need to understand the potential side effects of radiation therapy, the reason for bladder filling and on-treatment set-up imaging verification. Participants also wanted to know how they should care for themselves and adjust their lifestyles, and required more information about follow-up tests and appointments. CONCLUSION. In South Africa, black men with prostate cancer expressed the need for more information about the implications of a prostate cancer diagnosis, the reasons for these treatments and what they were expected to do. They also require information about where to go and what will happen in the different parts of the healthcare system with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of the prostate cancer. Communities should also be educated about cancer to avoid misconceptions. In South Africa, healthcare workers should consider the life-worlds of black men in the public healthcare system when attending to their information needs. en_ZA
dc.description.department Radiography en_ZA
dc.description.librarian hj2021 en_ZA
dc.description.uri https://www.springer.com/journal/40487 en_ZA
dc.identifier.citation Taljaard, M., Lovric, G.T., Makenzi, A.M., et al. 2020, 'Information Needs of Black Prostate Cancer Patients Receiving Treatment Within the South African Public Healthcare System', Oncology and Therapy 8, 285–298 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40487-020-00125-1. en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn 2366-1070 (print)
dc.identifier.issn 2366-1089 (online)
dc.identifier.other 10.1007/s40487-020-00125-1
dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/2263/81216
dc.language.iso en en_ZA
dc.publisher Springer en_ZA
dc.rights The Author(s) 2020. This article is published under an open access license. en_ZA
dc.subject Information needs en_ZA
dc.subject Prostate cancer en_ZA
dc.subject Public healthcare system en_ZA
dc.subject Black South African men en_ZA
dc.title Information needs of black prostate cancer patients receiving treatment within the South African public healthcare system en_ZA
dc.type Article en_ZA


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