Table 4.
Distribution of Perceived Reasons for Delay in Seeking Medical Care at Various Stages (T1 – T4)
| Delay Stage | Perceived Reasons | Frequency (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Self-detection of symptoms to first contact (N = 197) * |
Lack of awareness of cervical cancer symptoms | 183 (92.9) |
| Belief that cancer symptom would resolve by itself | 120 (60.9) | |
| Absence of pain | 60(30.5) | |
| Changes in the body attributed to common illness | 63 (32.0) | |
| Vague symptoms | 49 (24.9) | |
| Shame associated with disease | 51 (25.9) | |
| Fear of surgery | 13 (6.6) | |
| Financial problems | 59 (28.1) | |
| Presenting at tertiary care for Diagnosis after first contact (N= 197) * |
Visited multiple medical practitioners before presenting at tertiary care (primary care providers) | 60 (30.1) |
| Affordability | 82 (41.6) | |
| Not suspected for cancer at first contact | 41 (20.8) | |
| Nobody to accompany | 36 (17.1) | |
| Treatment after diagnosis (N = 132) # |
Fear of treatment | 50(23.8) |
| Dependent on the family | 48(22.9) | |
| Treatment would disfigure the body | 26(12.4) | |
| Affordability | 47(22.4) | |
| Long treatment procedure | 57(27.1) | |
| Treatment Not comfortable | 30(14.3) | |
| Stigma | 32(15.2) | |
| Distance of Hospital | 15(7.1) | |
| Loss of wage | 29(13.8) |
*, Responses were elicited from those who had not sought specific care for more than one week from the onset of symptoms; #, Responses was elicited from those who had not sought treatment on specified time by doctor