[Last modified: October, 5 2024 05:48 PM]
Title: “Medical Choices of Early Cancer Patients in the Middle Class: A Socio-Cultural Exploration of Symptomatic Patients Reluctant to Seek Care”
Research Questions: Why do early-stage cancer patients in the middle class (who are symptomatic) choose not to seek medical treatment? What socio-cultural factors influence their healthcare decisions?
Background:
Early detection and timely treatment of cancer are crucial for improving survival rates. However, an increasing number of middle-class patients with early-stage cancer choose not to seek hospital treatment even when they develop symptoms. This phenomenon not only affects their health outcomes but also reflects broader societal and cultural attitudes. This study aims to delve deeper into the reasons behind this trend.
Research Methods:
This study will employ qualitative anthropological methods, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, and case studies, to gain insights into the decision-making processes of middle-class early-stage cancer patients (symptomatic).
- Participant Observation:
Conduct observations at community health centers, oncology support groups, and alternative therapy clinics, documenting patient interactions and decision-making processes, with a focus on their attitudes toward hospital care. Understand their living environment, family structure, daily work and life habits, and medical habits, and combine interviews to understand the changes in the surrounding environment after illness. - In-Depth Interviews:
Select 30 eligible middle-class early-stage cancer patients (symptomatic) for interviews. The interviews will explore their attitudes toward hospital care, motivations, concerns, health beliefs, social support, economic factors, perceptions of cancer, and trust in the healthcare system. The interview subjects can be selected around a certain middle-class community. Patients can be selected from the NHS, all of whom have medical insurance. - Case Studies:
Conduct in-depth analyses of several typical cases to explore how these patients respond to symptoms, particularly focusing on interactions with family, friends, healthcare providers, and community support systems, as well as their psychological responses and coping strategies.
Potential findings
- Unaccompanied at home to go to the hospital, going to the doctor alone will be lonely.
- Maybe they had a bad experience with the doctor and don’t want to relive it.
- The symptoms are relatively small, and the long-term coexistence does not attract attention, and it is believed that strengthening exercise can return to normal.
- There is a fear of cancer, both worried and afraid of finding bad results.
- These people don’t know enough about the disease to distinguish between everyday problems and early symptoms of cancer.