How Social Interactions Impacts Health-Seeking Behaviors among Iranian Women with Breast CancerSymptoms

Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in both developed anddeveloping countries. Long-term prognosis of breast cancer strongly depends on the stage ofdisease at diagnosis. More than three months after detecting breast symptoms by Iranianwomen, they go to visit a doctor. The understanding of life-threatening symptoms and thesubsequent responses are differently affected by social interaction networks as well ascultural and social contexts. This study aimed to explore the role of social interactions onhealth-seeking behaviors among Iranian women with breast cancer symptoms. Anexploratory qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling method. TwentyIranian women who attended the Cancer Institute in Imam Khomeini hospital at TehranUniversity of Medical Sciences and complained of symptoms of breast cancer were recruitedto the study during 2012-2013. Data were collected through semi-structured and in-depthinterviews. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using conventional content analysis inthe MAXqda. The results revealed three themes including: 1) effectiveness of social learning;2) seeking social support; and 3) feedback with a supportive approach which included sevencategories of informative social learning, reliable social learning, selective disclosure,seeking information, seeking emotional support, giving reassurance and social support fordecision making. Effective social learning and supportive interactions have influential role onhealth seeking behavior. Thus it is necessary to improve public awareness and correctclients social beliefs about breast cancer to shorten the patients delay.

کلیدواژه ها:

Social Interaction ، Breast Cancer ، Health Seeking Behaviour ، Qualitative Study ، Iran