Date of Conferral

11-7-2024

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Lee Caplan

Abstract

Breast cancer remains a leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The burden of the disease in the region is partly attributed to delayed health-seeking, resulting in advanced disease presentation, delayed diagnosis, poor outcomes, and low survival. This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the socioecological factors that influence the anticipated medical health-seeking time for women in SSA experiencing breast cancer symptoms. The socioecological model (SEM) theoretical framework guided this study. A questionnaire was used to collect data from randomly selected (N = 343) women aged 18 years and older with no personal or familial history of breast cancer. Descriptive and logistic regression analyses were conducted to characterize the study sample and examine associations between participants’ anticipated medical care-seeking time and their breast cancer literacy, social support, trust in the healthcare system, and breast cancer stigma. The results revealed that strong social support and trust in the healthcare system were associated with shorter anticipated medical care-seeking time, while weak social support and lack of trust were associated with longer anticipated medical care-seeking time. The findings suggest that positive and strong social support and trust in the healthcare system can empower Togolese women to seek medical help at the earliest onset of breast cancer symptoms. Therefore, public health efforts promoting social support and trust in the healthcare system could be effective in reducing anticipated breast cancer care-seeking time, reducing breast cancer mortality, and increasing breast cancer survival among Togolese women, thereby alleviating some of the socioeconomic burden associated with breast cancer in Togo.

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