An exploratory study of the experiences of rural women with breast cancer

Patient adjustment to chronic illness is influenced by various cultural factors. This study examined some of the issues faced by rural patients in adjusting to the diagnosis of breast cancer. A sample of 10 women who had been diagnosed with breast cancer from 12-36 months prior to the study were recruited from a variety of sources. Using a long-interview qualitative research format, each patient was questioned about her reactions to her illness and relationship with medical providers. Interviews were taped recorded and the texts were transcribed and analyzed using an editing-analysis format with a multidisciplinary analysis team. As might be expected, patients reactions to their illness and health care providers varied considerably. Notable findings were a sense of urgency for treatment after diagnosis and a general sense of dissatisfaction with patient-physician communications. This group of rural women with a life-threatening cancer expressed a greater need for information and collaborative decision making than was met by their oncologists. Further exploration of this hypothesis would be helpful to determine how prevalent these opinions are among rural patients.