Table 4.

coping mechanisms and emotional response

Secrecy
1.	“…my aunt had cancer. It started as a small mark around the groin. She was reluctant to disclose what was wrong with her until she was on her death bed” (Soweto Traditional Healers’ group).
2.	“The reason why people with cancer hide it it’s because they do not know much about cancer, about what it is” (East London Traditional Healers’ group).
3.	“…people are afraid to talk about it is that people are scared to die or for their families to know that they are dying” (East London Traditional Healers’ group).
4.	“People are embarrassed to say they have cancer. They hide it when the disease is spreading (in their bodies).” (Khayelitsha Traditional Healers’ group)
5.	“I had three people at home who had cancer. My brother had it on his private parts, his wife on her breast and my aunt on the breast. They all hid it because they were scared of people laughing at them” (East London Church group). “
6.	“I would be scared to tell people about cancer because people will fear me, like a person with AIDS.” (Khayelitsha Church group)
7.	“Families hide people because they believe that they are bewitched and cannot be helped anywhere.” (East London NGO group).
Denial and withdrawal
8.	“People with cancer come out when it is already worse, and it is in its terminal stage because they don’t know.” (Khayelitsha Church group)
9.	“…its few people who respond to these messages, I can say maybe 20% of women go for pap smear, some are afraid of the unknown” (East London Traditional Healers’ group).
10.	“…people do not go (to seek early detection screening) because they do not want to know that they are dying” (East London Traditional Healers’ group).
11.	“…even if you cough a lot it’s hard to go and test for it because you are scared they will say you have cancer, I’m running away from it.” (East London Political and Community Leaders’ group).
Positive coping strategies
12.	If the doctor has told you that you have such a disease, you need to accept and tell your family, telling will help you to heal. (Khayelitsha Church group)
13.	People have to first accept themselves before they expect to be accepted. It is important to have hope for the future before even after being diagnosed with cancer. (Soweto Political and Community Leaders’ group)
14.	It will depend on the type of person that you are, you should share with your close friends and family, tell them that you are in this kind of a trouble, but help can be helped, you should educate them. (East London Political and Community Leaders’ group)