Explaining time elapsed prior to cancer diagnosis: patients’ perspectives

BMC Health Services Research

Raynald Pineault¹  Sylvie Provost¹  Pierre Tousignant²  Danièle Roberge³  Mylaine Breton³  Astrid Brousselle³  Lynda Benhadj⁴  Dominique Tremblay⁵ 

[1]Direction de Santé Publique de Montréal, Institut de Recherche en Santé Publique de l’Université de Montréal

[2]Direction de Santé Publique de Montréal, McGill University Health Centre

[3]Département des Sciences de la Santé Communautaire, Centre de recherche - Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne, Université de Sherbrooke

[4]Université de Sherbrooke

[5]École des Sciences Infirmières, Centre de recherche - Hôpital Charles-Le Moyne, Université de Sherbrooke

关键词: Cancer;    Early diagnosis;    Primary care;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12913-017-2390-1

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Abstract Background Cancer is the leading cause of death in Canada. Early cancer diagnosis could improve patients’ prognosis and quality of life. This study aimed to analyze the factors influencing elapsed time between the first help-seeking trigger and cancer diagnosis with respect to the three most common and deadliest cancer types: lung, breast, and colorectal. Methods This paper presents the qualitative component of a larger project based on a sequential explanatory design. Twenty-two patients diagnosed were interviewed, between 2011 to 2013, in oncology clinics of four hospitals in the two most populous regions in Quebec (Canada). Transcripts were analyzed using the Model of Pathways to Treatment. Results Pre-diagnosis elapsed time and phases are difficult to appraise precisely and vary according to cancer sites and symptoms specificity. This observation makes the Model of Pathways to Treatment challenging to use to analyze patients’ experiences. Analyses identified factors contributing to elapsed time that are linked to type of cancer, to patients, and to health system organization. Conclusions This research allowed us to identify avenues for reducing the intervals between first symptoms and cancer diagnosis. The existence of inequities in access to diagnostic services, even in a universal healthcare system, was highlighted.

【 授权许可】

Unknown