Patient Navigation for Cancer Care in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Scoping Review

Cancer is a major health threat in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Patient navigation has emerged as a strategy to address this, but the scope and impact of patient navigation for cancer care in SSA remains unclear. We aimed to comprehensively map the existing literature on patient navigation interventions for cancer care in SSA. A scoping review was conducted using a standardized 3-step search strategy. Eligible studies involved a patient navigation intervention for cancer care in SSA. Data were extracted on study, participant and navigator characteristics, intervention outcomes and implementation barriers and facilitators. Twenty-two studies describing 20 distinct interventions across 10 countries were included. Most studies were descriptive, focused on breast and cervical cancers and targeted the treatment stage of care. Navigator roles included patient education, psychosocial support, care coordination, and attenuation of patient barriers to care. Patient navigation appeared feasible, acceptable, and beneficial across a variety of study populations in this setting, but limited funding was a commonly reported barrier to maintenance. Cancer patient navigation is a promising strategy to improve cancer outcomes in SSA. Strategic investment is needed to support sustainable scale-up and maximize the impact of cancer patient navigation in the region.