Appiah Evans Osei, Oti-Boadi Ezekiel, Amertil Ninon P, Afotey Rosina, Lavoe Honest, Garti Isabella, Menlah Awube, Sekyi Eric Kwesi Ntiako
Nursing Department, Purdue University, 425 South River Road, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6730-4725.
Ecancermedicalscience. 2024 Apr 11;18:1692. doi: 10.3332/ecancer.2024.1692. eCollection 2024.
Prostate cancer (PCa) is a significant global health concern for men. In Sub-Saharan Africa, PCa rates witnessed a 69% increase from 1990 to 2010. Despite this, there is a dearth of literature examining the experiences of spouses of men with PCa in Africa, as the majority of studies concentrate primarily on men.
The study used a qualitative exploratory design, conducting in-depth face-to-face interviews with a semi-structured guide. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, with 35 recruited. Data was recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed using content analysis, resulting in 2 themes and 11 subthemes.
The research revealed that spouses providing care for husbands with PCa faced notable effects on their physical and emotional well-being. Notably, they reported experiencing leg pains due to prolonged sitting by their partners, as well as disruptions in sleep and a loss of appetite triggered by the hospital smell.
Women encounter challenges in caring for their partners with PCa. Understanding these experiences will contribute to improving public support and assistance. Future studies should concentrate on developing interventions to help them cope with these challenges.
前列腺癌（PCa）是全球男性关注的重大健康问题。在撒哈拉以南非洲地区，1990年至2010年间前列腺癌发病率增长了69%。尽管如此，由于大多数研究主要集中在男性身上，关于非洲前列腺癌男性患者配偶经历的文献却很匮乏。
该研究采用定性探索性设计，通过半结构化指南进行深入面对面访谈。通过目的抽样选择参与者，共招募了35人。数据进行记录、逐字转录，并采用内容分析法进行分析，得出2个主题和11个子主题。
研究表明，照顾前列腺癌丈夫的配偶在身心健康方面受到显著影响。值得注意的是，他们报告称因伴侣长时间坐着而腿部疼痛，以及医院气味导致睡眠中断和食欲不振。
女性在照顾患前列腺癌的伴侣时面临挑战。了解这些经历将有助于改善公众支持和援助。未来的研究应集中于制定干预措施，帮助她们应对这些挑战。
