The problem of non-compliance amongst breast cancer patients : a study of the high rate of absconding by African women diagnosed as having breast cancer

In South Africa at present, one in 32 women develop breast cancer during their lives. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among females. The biomedical prognosis for breast cancer patients is good provided that the cancer is detected early and that patients comply to biomedical treatments. However, over 80% of African breast cancer patients abscond from the Oncology and Radiotherapy Departments at Groote Schuur Hospital each year. These patients are usually only seen again in the terminal stages, when they seek pain control from the hospital. The biomedical literature refers to this phenomenon of absconding but does not explore the cultural and social factors that may determine African women's decision to abscond. This study looks at the variables effecting absconding, by focusing on the cultural, social and economic contexts, in which African breast cancer patients choose to abscond · from biomedical treatments. The research was conducted within the methodological framework of social anthropology.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Social Anthropology

Year dc:date.issued

1996

Author dc:creator

• Wright, Sonya Vivien

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Boonzaaier, Emile

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20450

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/20450