“I always tried to forget about the condition and pretend I was healed”: coping with cervical cancer in rural Ghana

BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a very common disease among women in Ghana and in the world as a whole. However, there is a dearth of information on the mechanisms cervical cancer patients adopt to cope with the condition in Ghana. This study sought to explore the strategies adopted by cervical cancer patients in rural Ghana to cope with the disease. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data from cervical cancer patients in a health facility in the Volta Region of Ghana. Data processing was done using the R software package for Qualitative Data Analysis (RQDA) and a thematic approach was used to analyse and present the results. RESULTS: The results show that cervical cancer patients adopted personal and psychological strategies such as sexual abstinence, personal hygiene, and disease denial to cope with the condition. Respondents also described social, financial and non-material support services they received from family members and the church as critical resources, which helped them to manage the conditions of the disease. Respondents also reported that faith healing, herbal and orthodox medicines helped them to manage the symptoms of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Cervical cancer patients used a variety of coping strategies to manage the disease. Yet, it will be essential for interventions to focus on strengthening knowledge about the disease. This study underscores the need for financial, social and material support as well as an encouragement of the use of health services among cervical cancer patients.