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Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health
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Perceived Barriers to Self-Management in Malaysian Women with Breast Cancer

SY Loh, MSc

Department of Allied Health. Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, syloh{at}um.edu.my, Centre for Research into Disability & Society, Curtin University of Technology, Australia

T. Packer, PhD

Centre for Research into Disability & Society, Curtin University of Technology, Australia

CH Yip, FRCS

Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala Lumpur

WY Low, PhD

Health Research Development Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Naturalistic inquiry using focus group interviews was undertaken to explore experiences and perceived barriers to self management in women with breast cancer. The aim was to identify their perceived barriers to self management to aid the development of rehabilitation programmes. Successful programmes are strongly linked to patients' perceived needs. Four focus groups consisted of 39 women, were purposively recruited. Women's needs within the three areas of medical, emotional and role management of breast cancer were explored. The main barriers were unavailability of information, inability to access services-and-support, and socioeconomic-cultural issues (entrenched myths, low-socioeconomic status, and inadequate insurance-health legislative coverage). The findings provide the critically lacking 'expert-view' of survivors, who verified the importance of the medical, emotional and role management tasks, and highlighted barriers and structural solutions. With breast cancer becoming recognised as a form of chronic illness, this study is timely. Asia Pac J Public Health 2007; 19(3): 52-57.

Key Words: Breast cancer • focus group • self management • chronic diseases.

Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health, Vol. 19, No. 3, 52-57 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/101053950701900309
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