Breast Cancer Patients’ Experience about Involvement in Health Care: A Qualitative Study

Background: Patient involvement in health care is a basic patient's right. Effective communication between the health care professional and the patient is associated with improved psychological functioning of the patient, adherence to treatment, and higher quality of life. Objective(s): This study aims to explore qualitatively breast cancer patients’ experience and satisfaction with their involvement in cancer care. Methods: This study was carried out among 30 women in different breast cancer care stages through in depth-interviews. The patients were purposively selected from surgery and oncology outpatient clinics and surgery inpatient wards in Medical Research Institute HospitalAlexandria University, and in Ayadi El-Mostakbal Cancer Care Center Ayadi El-Mostakbal Charity Foundation, Alexandria, Egypt. Results: Some patients mentioned that they did not know their diagnosis until late, others complained of the harsh non-empathetic way of breaking the news of their disease. Patients, generally, reported a little understanding of their treatment plan, they just followed physician’s instructions without receiving enough explanation. Patients on chemotherapy and radiotherapy expressed their unsatisfied need for information. Patients’ source of information was mainly other patients who suffered from the same disease. Patients, in general, were not familiar with the concept of giving feedback, it was perceived by the majority of them as equivalent to complaining. Some patients believed that complaining could put them in trouble such as receiving harsh blame or even delaying their medication. Conclusion: Patients’ narratives revealed poor involvement in health care and showed dissatisfaction of the majority of patients with their level of involvement.