Assuntos
Sorodiagnóstico da AIDS/métodos , Infecções por HIV/diagnóstico , Pacientes Internados/estatística & dados numéricos , Programas de Rastreamento/estatística & dados numéricos , Melhoria de Qualidade , Qualidade da Assistência à Saúde , Sorodiagnóstico da AIDS/estatística & dados numéricos , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Comportamento Cooperativo , Aconselhamento , Feminino , Infecções por HIV/prevenção & controle , Humanos , Masculino , Pediatria , Estudos Retrospectivos , Adulto JovemRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: To characterize cancer patients and to determine the associated health seeking behaviours. METHODS: Between September 2005 and February 2006, we collected data using structured and semi-structured interviews among new cancer patients attending the ORCI. Findings are summarized using univarite and bivariate analyses. RESULTS: There were 330 cancer patients during the study period. The mean age was 48 (SD = 13.5) years ranging between 21 and 84 years. The majority, 205 (62.1%), were females. More than two thirds of all patients, that is 225 (68.2%), presented at the ORCI at advanced stages of disease. Many patients reported to have neither heard, 193 (58.5%), nor to know cancer symptoms, 203 (61.5%). Only 185 (56.1%) of all patients reported their willingness to disclose and a freedom to talk about the disease. Risk factors for cancer staging were sex, patient's education status, awareness and knowledge of disease symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions targeted to improve health care seeking behaviour among cancer patients need to include health education and sensitization specifically of cancer disease, establish a strong referral mechanisms at primary health level and to start a population cancer registry for monitoring and evaluation purposes.