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A Qualitative exploration Of A Support Group Intervention Among Women With Cervical Cancer At Tiyanjane Clinic For Palliative Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.

Background: Cancer of the cervix is a common malignancy among women and is one of the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in Malawi. The majority of women with cervical cancer present with advanced disease where cure is not possible. These women face many challenges that affect their li...

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Main Author: Nkhoma, Mwandida Mdazepa Matilda
Other Authors: Gwyther, Liz
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Department of Public Health and Family Medicine 2021
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access_status_str Open Access
author Nkhoma, Mwandida Mdazepa Matilda
author2 Gwyther, Liz
author_browse Gwyther, Liz
Nkhoma, Mwandida Mdazepa Matilda
author_facet Gwyther, Liz
Nkhoma, Mwandida Mdazepa Matilda
author_sort Nkhoma, Mwandida Mdazepa Matilda
collection Thesis
description Background: Cancer of the cervix is a common malignancy among women and is one of the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in Malawi. The majority of women with cervical cancer present with advanced disease where cure is not possible. These women face many challenges that affect their lives holistically. In particular, the psycho-social impact is common for women living with cervical cancer and psychosocial care does not have sufficient attention as the focus is management of the disease and physical symptoms. However, research shows that support groups are associated with improvements in intimacy, emotional support and becoming better informed for women living with cancer of the cervix. Methodology: This was a qualitative research study. Semi structured interviews were used to collect data and were audio-taped. A purposive sampling technique was used in selection of participants. One to one interviews were conducted with eight (8) women diagnosed with cervical cancer because data saturation was reached at that number. Thematic analysis was undertaken where four phases of organisation, familiarization, reduction and analysis were used. Results: The following themes were identified: intimacy, emotional support, becoming informed and drawbacks of support group. Conclusion: A support group intervention is found to reduce psychosocial and intimacy distress associated with cervical cancer diagnosis. This leads to improved quality of life of these women and their families. Thus, a support group intervention has a potential to enhance appropriate holistic management plans for women with cervical cancer.
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institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:32:37.404Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher Department of Public Health and Family Medicine
publisherStr Department of Public Health and Family Medicine
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source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/32857 A Qualitative exploration Of A Support Group Intervention Among Women With Cervical Cancer At Tiyanjane Clinic For Palliative Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi. Nkhoma, Mwandida Mdazepa Matilda Gwyther, Liz Bates, Jane Palliative Medicine Background: Cancer of the cervix is a common malignancy among women and is one of the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in Malawi. The majority of women with cervical cancer present with advanced disease where cure is not possible. These women face many challenges that affect their lives holistically. In particular, the psycho-social impact is common for women living with cervical cancer and psychosocial care does not have sufficient attention as the focus is management of the disease and physical symptoms. However, research shows that support groups are associated with improvements in intimacy, emotional support and becoming better informed for women living with cancer of the cervix. Methodology: This was a qualitative research study. Semi structured interviews were used to collect data and were audio-taped. A purposive sampling technique was used in selection of participants. One to one interviews were conducted with eight (8) women diagnosed with cervical cancer because data saturation was reached at that number. Thematic analysis was undertaken where four phases of organisation, familiarization, reduction and analysis were used. Results: The following themes were identified: intimacy, emotional support, becoming informed and drawbacks of support group. Conclusion: A support group intervention is found to reduce psychosocial and intimacy distress associated with cervical cancer diagnosis. This leads to improved quality of life of these women and their families. Thus, a support group intervention has a potential to enhance appropriate holistic management plans for women with cervical cancer. 2021-02-16T09:21:00Z 2021-02-16T09:21:00Z 2020 2021-02-16T05:25:34Z Master Thesis Masters MPhil http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32857 eng application/pdf Department of Public Health and Family Medicine Faculty of Health Sciences
spellingShingle Palliative Medicine
Nkhoma, Mwandida Mdazepa Matilda
A Qualitative exploration Of A Support Group Intervention Among Women With Cervical Cancer At Tiyanjane Clinic For Palliative Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
thesis_degree_str Master's
title A Qualitative exploration Of A Support Group Intervention Among Women With Cervical Cancer At Tiyanjane Clinic For Palliative Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
title_full A Qualitative exploration Of A Support Group Intervention Among Women With Cervical Cancer At Tiyanjane Clinic For Palliative Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
title_fullStr A Qualitative exploration Of A Support Group Intervention Among Women With Cervical Cancer At Tiyanjane Clinic For Palliative Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
title_full_unstemmed A Qualitative exploration Of A Support Group Intervention Among Women With Cervical Cancer At Tiyanjane Clinic For Palliative Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
title_short A Qualitative exploration Of A Support Group Intervention Among Women With Cervical Cancer At Tiyanjane Clinic For Palliative Care, Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Blantyre, Malawi.
title_sort qualitative exploration of a support group intervention among women with cervical cancer at tiyanjane clinic for palliative care queen elizabeth central hospital blantyre malawi
topic Palliative Medicine
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/32857
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