Lived experiences of prostate cancer patients in an urban metropolis in North Central, Nigeria

Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) is currently the second most prevalent cancer in the world and the most common type of cancer among Nigerian  men. This study explored the lived experiences of patients with PCa at the General Hospital in Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria. A mixed- method design was adopted. Purposive and consecutive sampling techniques were employed to recruit 50 and 10 participants for the  quantitative and qualitative aspects respectively. Qualitative data was analyzed using thematic content analysis while quantitative data  was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. All participants were above the age of 50 years, 72% earned about $100 monthly  while 68% were diagnosed in less than five years. Majority of the participants utilized adaptive coping styles and also found the strategies  moderately helpful while living with the effects of radical prostatectomy. Participants also found the high cost of treatment  severely challenging. Government and other stakeholders may need to subsidize the cost of PCa management thereby encouraging early  accessibility to care, improved adherence to treatment and also reduce the economic burden of the disease on patients and their  families.