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Communication with Cancer Patients in Zimbabwe

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New Challenges in Communication with Cancer Patients

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Abstract

Cancer is still perceived as synonymous with a death sentence in Zimbabwe, due mainly to the consequences of patients presenting late. Most of these patients and their families have a knowledge deficit with regard to cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and palliation. The HIV epidemic and the resultant surge in the prevalence of HIV-related cancers have led to new communication challenges in managing patients with both HIV infection and cancer. These patients face two potentially life-threatening diseases simultaneously, and these diseases both have stigmas within the community. While families can be very supportive to these and other cancer patients, the extended family dynamics need to be understood and taken into account in decisions to involve family in patient management. Cancer treatments themselves are often misunderstood by all. The negative perception of these treatments, radiotherapy in particular, may be the cause of poor uptake of and compliance with treatment out of fear of harm. Future changing communication needs with cancer patients in Zimbabwe will have to be anticipated and planned for as we move into introducing a comprehensive cancer control program and the conduct of clinical trials in cancer. Communicating with cancer patients who have concurrent HIV infection needs further study, since little is known about the special communication needs of such patients and how they can be addressed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Ntokozo Ndlovu

  2. Parirenyatwa Hospital, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Ntokozo Ndlovu

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  1. Ntokozo Ndlovu
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Correspondence to Ntokozo Ndlovu .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Medicine, New York University Medical School, First Avenue 530, New York, 10016, USA

    Antonella Surbone

  2. Institute of Oncology, Zaloška 2, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia

    Matjaž Zwitter

  3. Institute of Oncology, Zaloška 2, Ljubljana, 1000, Ljubljana-Center, Slovenia

    Mirjana Rajer

  4. 38th Street 2838, Astoria, 11103, New York, USA

    Richard Stiefel

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Ndlovu, N. (2013). Communication with Cancer Patients in Zimbabwe. In: Surbone, A., Zwitter, M., Rajer, M., Stiefel, R. (eds) New Challenges in Communication with Cancer Patients. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3369-9_37

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3369-9_37

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-3368-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-3369-9

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