Psychosocial and palliative care in African national cancer control plans: A qualitative study

Low and middle income countries of Africa account for a disproportionate amount of the global health burden of cancer. Providing patients access to psychosocial oncology and palliative care through policy structures such as the National Cancer Control Plans (NCCP) is essential to improving the care provided to patients and their families. The first phase of this study sought to determine the extent to which palliative care and psychosocial oncology were integrated in NCCPs in African countries.

A qualitative thematic analysis of the plans was used using Nvivo, with two-raters coding and continuous team discussions. Data were organized into an infographic map showing the coverage of themes across African countries.

Fifty-eight NCCPs and NCD plans were analyzed in the 54 countries in Africa. The findings illustrate a lack of standardization across countries' NCCPs in addressing psychosocial oncology and palliative care themes. Certain areas presented good coverage across several plans, such as barriers to access, education, awareness, and health behaviors, coordination of care, families, caregivers and community involvement, and palliative care. Other themes presented low coverage, such as doctor-patient communication, mental health, bereavement, psychosocial care, survivorship care, and traditional medicine.

One may consider further developing NCCP areas as they pertain to psychosocial oncology and palliative care to ensure their proper place on the policy agenda for a healthier Africa.