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Challenges for health care providers, parents and patients who face a child hood cancer diagnosis in Zambia

Overview of attention for article published in BMC Health Services Research, May 2018
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Title
Challenges for health care providers, parents and patients who face a child hood cancer diagnosis in Zambia
Published in
BMC Health Services Research, May 2018
DOI 10.1186/s12913-018-3127-5
Pubmed ID
Authors

Mulima Walubita, Bornwell Sikateyo, Joseph M. Zulu

Abstract

Zambia is experiencing high prevalence of childhood cancer. However, very few children access and complete treatment for cancer. This study aimed to document the challenges for health care providers, parents and patients who face a child hood cancer diagnosis in Zambia, and their coping strategies. This was an exploratory health facility-based qualitative study that was conducted at a Paediatric oncology ward at referral hospital in Zambia. In-depth individual interviews conducted with fifteen (15) caregivers and seven (7) key informants were analysed using thematic analysis. Several challenges related to managing the childhood cancer diagnosis were recorded. Individual and family challenges were inadequate knowledge on childhood cancer, lack of finances to meet treatment and transport costs as well as long period of hospitalisation that affected women's ability to perform multiple responsibilities. Whereas challenges at community level were inadequate support to address emotional and physical distress and social stigmatisation experienced by caregivers. Health systems issues included inadequate specialised health workers, poor communication among health workers, limited space and beds as well as insufficient supplies such as blood. Cultural related factors were the belief that cancer is a product of witchcraft as well as religious beliefs regarding the role of faith healing in childhood cancer treatment. Coping strategies used by parents/ caregivers included praying to God, material support from organisations and church as well as delaying having another child. Addressing the challenges for health care providers, parents and patients who face a childhood cancer diagnosis may require adopting a systems or an ecological approach that allows developing strategies that simultaneously address challenges related to the individual, family, community, health system and cultural aspects.

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Mendeley readers

Mendeley readers

The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 155 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.

Geographical breakdown

Country Count As %
Unknown 155 100%

Demographic breakdown

Readers by professional status Count As %
Student > Bachelor 19 12%
Student > Master 16 10%
Student > Ph. D. Student 15 10%
Researcher 13 8%
Student > Postgraduate 12 8%
Other 24 15%
Unknown 56 36%
Readers by discipline Count As %
Medicine and Dentistry 29 19%
Nursing and Health Professions 28 18%
Psychology 8 5%
Social Sciences 8 5%
Business, Management and Accounting 3 2%
Other 20 13%
Unknown 59 38%
Attention Score in Context

Attention Score in Context

This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 1. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 04 May 2018.
All research outputs
#20,485,225
of 23,047,237 outputs
Outputs from BMC Health Services Research
#7,186
of 7,721 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#287,292
of 326,328 outputs
Outputs of similar age from BMC Health Services Research
#199
of 214 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 23,047,237 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 1st percentile – i.e., 1% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 7,721 research outputs from this source. They typically receive more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 7.8. This one is in the 1st percentile – i.e., 1% of its peers scored the same or lower than it.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 326,328 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one is in the 1st percentile – i.e., 1% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.
We're also able to compare this research output to 214 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one is in the 1st percentile – i.e., 1% of its contemporaries scored the same or lower than it.