Experiences of patient delay among lung cancer patients in South China

Lung cancer is a commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Cancer delay pose significant challenges for health systems globally, with patient delay being a primary factor contributing to late diagnoses, ultimately resulting in adverse outcomes and reduced survival rates. However, the underlying reasons for patient delay are not well understood, and there is a scarcity of studies that specifically examine the experiences related to patient delay among lung cancer patients. Therefore, this study aims to explore the experiences of lung cancer patients and identify potential strategies to mitigate their delays in seeking care.

The interview framework was developed based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants. Data analysis was performed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological analysis method.

A total of 30 lung cancer patients participated in the interviews, which lasted between 26 and 42 min (with an average duration of 33 min). The duration of patient delay varied from 90 to 213 days. Four themes were identified: (1) reasons for patient delay, (2) health-seeking triggers, (3) perception of patient delay, and (4) potential solutions.

Lung cancer patients exhibited varying degrees of patient delay attributed to factors such as ignoring or dismissing symptoms, lack of family support, poor access to health services, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Promoting disease knowledge, optimizing resources and implementing technology-based solutions may serve as effective measures to address these issues.