Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39851959›Full record

ArticleCurrent oncology (Toronto, Ont.)2025

Psychosocial Distress and the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients in Rural Hospitals in Limpopo Province: A Qualitative Study.

Dorah Ursula Ramathuba, Neo Jacqueline Ramutumbu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.), 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

2 authors.

Dorah Ursula RamathubaDepartment of Advanced Nursing Science, University of Venda, P/Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-7571-4767
Neo Jacqueline RamutumbuDepartment of Advanced Nursing Science, University of Venda, P/Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa.ORCID 0000-0002-8633-7805

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe diagnosis and treatment of cancer are associated with substantial physical, psychological, and social morbidity for most patients. Distress can be seen as an unpleasant experience of an emotional, psychological, social, or spiritual nature that interferes with the ability to cope with cancer treatment. PURPOSE: The aim was to understand patients' experiences of distress in their context and to analyze and interpret the findings.

methodAn explorative, descriptive qualitative study was conducted among cancer patients receiving treatment and care at rural hospitals in Limpopo. A face-to-face individual interview was conducted to determine the participants' cancer-related experiences and quality of life. Thematic analysis was conducted following Tesch's method, and the themes developed were subjected to a triangulation process to ensure the validity and rigor of the findings.

findingsThe participants revealed experiences of symptomatic distress resulting in biopsychosocial distress such as pain, fatigue, emotional distress related to prognosis and uncertainty about the future, psychosocial distress related to a lack or absence of support, financial instability, and poor self-esteem.

conclusionsCancer patients face many challenges during their treatment journey. Participants were drained by anxiety and uncertainty of the cancer trajectory and required psychosocial support. The oncology team must provide supportive preventive measures for side effects management and culture-sensitive psychotherapy at an early stage to improve their quality of life.

Indexed as

NeoplasmsPsychological DistressQuality of LifeStress, PsychologicalAdultAgedFemaleHospitals, RuralHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative Researchbiopsychosocial symptomscancercancer patientspsychosocial distressquality of lifeuncertainty

Identifiers

PMID39851959
PMCPMC11764448

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.