Barriers and enablers to breast cancer screening in rural South Africa.
Nelisha Sarmah, Maureen N Sibiya, Thandokuhle E Khoza
PMID 39354781WHAT IT FOUND
Rural South African women said cost, distance, long queues and rude healthcare staff stopped them seeking breast cancer screening.
They suggested group breast self-examination teaching, linking screening with HIV work and involving community groups.
Key findings
01Affordability, accessibility and acceptability were barriers to breast cancer screening.
02Poor healthcare worker conduct made some women avoid clinic visits for treatment or screening.
03Health education and community engagement were the main enablers proposed by participants.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study included 22 women from four clinics, and the authors said it does not represent all African women in South Africa. The findings are participants' experiences and recommendations, not tested effects on screening. Healthcare workers were not interviewed. The study reported themes from interviews, not screening rates or outcomes.
Declared interests
The study did not receive any specific grant from public, commercial or not-for-profit funding agencies.
The easy way to misread this
Do not treat group talks, HIV-linked screening and community engagement as proven ways to increase breast cancer screening. They were recommendations from 22 women in a qualitative study, not a tested intervention.