Open Collections

Zhou, Chuanlin

University of British Columbia

Introduction: Despite being preventable, cervical cancer is the leading cancer with respect to both incidence and mortality among women in East Africa. In Uganda, the mortality rate is nearly six times the global average. There are many indirect social consequences of cervical cancer that affect patients and their families, including changes in support networks, caregiving responsibilities, and school attendance among children. Therefore, this thesis aims to describe and understand the social impacts of a cervical cancer diagnosis and treatment on women in Uganda, and her children, family, and other relationships. Methods: This qualitative analysis is part of a larger mixed-methods cross-sectional study: ASPIRE Generations. Women were recruited using stratified purposeful sampling for a demographically diverse sample. This analysis used an interpretive phenomenological approach. Data analysis followed a modified inductive approach, guided by our research objectives. Results: A total of 24 women participated in the semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the interviews generated 4 major themes: (1) disclosure and changes in relationships, (2) support, (3) loss of work and income, and (4) household impacts. While women had varying experiences, the overall impacts were negative and widespread. Women generally reported that her cervical cancer negatively affected relationships with friends and family, when she chose to disclose her diagnosis. It also had an impact on the entire household, particularly on her caregivers who were often her children. Furthermore, the financial impacts on the household often caused interruptions to children’s education. Discussion: This qualitative analysis demonstrates that there are many social impacts of cervical cancer, for women and others in Uganda. Challenges caused by cervical cancer such as increased financial burden, and loss of work and education often exacerbate one another. Social supports are needed to mitigate the indirect impacts of cervical cancer. Greater resources are needed to support women and their families affected by cervical cancer, and changes must address both structural and sociocultural barriers. These findings contribute evidence to support the Uganda Ministry of Health’s commitment to controlling cervical cancer, and the World Health Organization’s global initiative to eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem.

Text

2024-04-29

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/88073

Population and Public Health

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/