Seeking Precision Healthcare in Rural Patients With Cancer: Learning Self-advocacy.

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Rural Health
• Health Equity

Background:

• Precision medicine offers advanced cancer treatments, necessitating equitable access.
• Understanding rural patients' experiences is key to addressing cancer care disparities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the meaning of a cancer diagnosis for individuals in rural settings.
• To describe how rural individuals access oncology care, including appointments, testing, and treatments.
• To understand rural patients' perspectives on cancer testing and treatment options.

Main Methods:

• Hermeneutic phenomenology was employed.
• In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 individuals with cancer residing in rural areas.
• Narratives were analyzed to identify common meanings and themes.

Main Results:

• Key themes included "Slipping through the cracks," challenges with "Traveling this distance," and "Evoking some resilience."
• A constitutive pattern of "The necessity of practicing and developing advocacy" emerged.
• Participants highlighted difficulties with distant care, travel, and coordinating multiple providers.

Conclusions:

• Access to rural cancer care is complex, involving challenges with distance, travel, and fragmented care coordination.
• Enhancing patient advocacy and improving access to specialized cancer services are vital for mitigating rural health inequities.