ArticleBMJ open2024
Breaking bad news in oncology practice: experience and challenges of oncology health professionals in Ethiopia - an exploratory qualitative study.
Article in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Pathways to lung cancer diagnosis and treatment among patients in Ethiopia: A qualitative study.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Barriers and facilitators of psychosocial service provision for patients with cancer across six hospitals in Ethiopia: a qualitative study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
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Abstract
objectiveTo explore the experience and challenges health professionals face during breaking bad news (BBN) to patients with cancer in the oncology centre of Black Lion Specialized Hospital (BLSH), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 2019.
designAn exploratory qualitative phenominological study using in-depth interviews was carried out in the only radiotherapy integrated oncology centre in Ethiopia during March 2019. Purposeful maximum variation sampling was used to select participants. OpenCode (V.4.02) assisted thematic analysis approach was employed to analyse the data.
participantsEleven oncology health practitioners (oncologists, residents and nurses) working at the oncology centre were interviewed. Repeated interviews and analysis were done until theoretical saturation.
resultsAll participants were cognisant of the positive outcome of proper and effective practice of BBN. However, they were practicing it empirically, no standardised protocols or guidelines were in place. Four dimensions of challenges were mentioned: (1) setup centric: unconducive environment, lack of protocols or guidelines, inaccessible treatment, and psychotherapy or counselling services; (2) health care centric, such as inadequate expertise, inadequate time due to patient load,treatment backlog, and referral system; (3) patients/family centric: poor medical literacy level, poor compliance, and family interference; and (4) sociocultural: wrong perception of families on BBN and treatment modalities, and opposition from religious leaders.
conclusionBBN is challenging for professionals caring for patients in the oncology centre of BLSH. Hence, there is a critical need to improve practices. Change efforts may focus on the development of contextualised, content and context specific practice oriented training programmes and curriculum interventions. Raising awareness of the community and religious leaders regarding the nature and treatment of cancer may also be a helpful adjunct.
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