DELAYS IN INITIAL REFERRAL, DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT IN CHILDREN WITH CANCER

Abstract

Objective: Cancer has been one of the most critical health problems during the past decades which requires serious consideration, especially in developing countries. Methods: 80 parents of children with different types of cancers were studied via both questionnaire and person-to-person interviews after declaring their informed consent. Results: The highest delay in patients’ initial referral was due to the following factors: lack of attention or ignoring the first symptoms, delay in referring to the physician, low economic status and even lack of family support for the patient. In addition, visiting several doctors after the initial diagnosis, uncertainty about the first proposed method, and the high cost of treatment can be mentioned as the main causes of delays in the start of treatment. Conclusion: Education plays an important role in identifying the signs of cancer. In addition, proper relationship and cooperation between the health system and physicians as well as provision of adequate information to patients could lead to the long-term cooperation of these patients in continuing their treatment.

Keywords

• Cancer
• delay in referral
• children
• delay in diagnosis
• delay in treatment

KANSERLİ ÇOCUKLARDA İLK YÖNLENDİRME, TANI VE TEDAVİDE GECİKMELER

Abstract

Amaç: Kanser, son yıllarda, özellikle gelişmekte olan ülkelerde, ciddi dikkat gerektiren en kritik sağlık sorunlarından biri olmuştur. Yöntem: Farklı kanser türlerine sahip çocukların 80 ebeveyni aydınlatılmış onamları alındıktan sonra hem anket hem de bire bir görüşme yoluyla incelenmiştir. Bulgular: Hastaların ilk sevkindeki gecikmeler, aşağıdaki faktörlerden kaynaklanmaktadır: dikkat eksikliği veya ilk semptomları görmezden gelme, doktora başvurmada gecikme, düşük ekonomik durum ve hatta hasta için aile desteği eksikliği. Ek olarak, ilk tanıdan sonra farklı doktorlara başvurmak, önerilen ilk yöntem hakkında belirsizlik ve yüksek tedavi maliyeti, tedavinin başlangıcındaki gecikmelerin ana nedenleri olarak gösterilebilir. Sonuç: Eğitim, kanser belirtilerini anlamada önemli bir rol oynamaktadır. Buna ek olarak, sağlık sistemi ve doktorlar arasında ilişki ve işbirliği ile hastalara yeterli bilgi sağlanması, bu hastaların tedavilerini sürdürmede önemli faktörler olarak görünmektedir.

Keywords

• Kanser
• sevkte gecikme
• çocuk
• tanıda gecikme
• tedavide gecikme

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