Characteristics of help-seeking behavior for cancer symptoms in patients with gyne-cologic malignancies:a qualitative study
Objective To explore the characteristics of help-seeking behavioral for cancer symptom in patients with gynecologic malignancies,so as to provide a reference for developing symptom management programs.Methods A descriptive phenomenological research was designed,and purposive sampling method was used to select 15 cases of gynecological malignancy patients hospitalized in a tertiary-level hospital in Nanjing City,then semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted on them,and the Colaizzi 7-step method was applied to analyze the interview data.Results Five themes were summarized:low disease awareness delays symptomatic help-seeking behavior(early non-specific symptoms lead to delayed diagnosis,rationalization of symptom attribution),psychosocial factors weaken symptomatic help-seeking behavior(family caregiving responsibilities delaying consultation,sense of prioritization of work,sexuality concerns and stigma,negative emotions and self-ex-pression restraint),perceived benefits promote awareness of symptomatic help-seeking(health education increases trust in help-seeking,multi-ple ways of seeking support for information about the disease),family support reinforces symptomatic help-seeking behavioral decision-making,and the availability of community-based health care enriches the forms of symptomatic help-seeking.Conclusion Help-seeking behavior for cancer symptom of gynecologic malignancy patients is closely related to the level of disease cognition,psychosocial factors,perceived benefits,family support,and community health care services.Healthcare professionals should strengthen symptom management in this popu-lation,reinforce family and social support,promote the early occurrence of help-seeking behaviors for cancer symptom,reduce cancer symptom distress,and improve the survival and quality of life of patients with gynecologic malignancies.
gynecologymalignant neoplasmshelp-seeking behavior for cancer symptomsdisease perception levelspsy-chosocial factorsperceived benefitsfamily supportqualitative research
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