title: Travelling on parallel tracks: patient and physician perspectives on why women delay seeking care for breast cancer symptoms.
abstract: In the breast cancer literature, "delayed presentation" is defined as a delay of > 3 months from the self-detection of a new breast cancer symptom until presentation to a health care provider. It has been established that early detection of breast cancer is associated with better health outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore reasons why women delay seeking care for their breast cancer symptoms by asking both women and family physicians for their perspectives. Narrative analysis was used to reveal the ways in which people make sense of their experiences and which parts of their stories are most important to them. We found differences in the explanatory narratives of women versus those of family physicians when it came to understanding delay. Suggestions to promote earlier presentation include improving physician-patient communication and encouraging physician and health care professional neutrality in making attributions about women's delay.
authors: Department ofPsychology, Hospital for Sick Children (Sick Kids), Toronto, Ontario. Leeatg@gmail.com
authors: Leeat
authors: L
authors: Granek
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Fitzgerald
authors: Karen
authors: K
authors: Fergus
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Clemons
authors: Ruth
authors: R
authors: Heisey
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*