Nwozichi Chinomso Ugochukwu, Salako Omolabake, Oppong Anita Frimpomaa, Ojewale Margaret Olutosin
Wellstar School of Nursing, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30101, USA.
Department of Nursing Research, Nursology Academy, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, 121103, Nigeria.
Ecancermedicalscience. 2025 Apr 10;19:1888. doi: 10.3332/ecancer.2025.1888. eCollection 2025.
Adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are at a critical juncture in their lives, often pursuing education, starting careers, forming relationships and gaining independence. Cancer disrupts these pivotal life transitions, causing significant emotional and psychological stress. Advocacy plays a crucial role in promoting awareness, access to care and support for AYAs with cancer. This paper aims to identify and examine the potential barriers to access to cancer treatment and advocacy among AYAs with cancer in Africa. A selective literature review was conducted to provide a foundation for the discussion. The search involved databases such as PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar, using keywords such as 'AYAs,' 'cancer,' 'advocacy,' 'Africa,' 'barriers' and 'factors.' Relevant articles were selected based on their relevance, recency and quality, focusing on empirical studies and seminal and theoretical papers. Drawing from existing literature, expert opinions and case studies, several key barriers are explored, including social and cultural stigma surrounding cancer, limited access to health education and support services, economic constraints and inadequate healthcare infrastructure. Sociocultural norms and taboos can lead to a lack of open dialogue about cancer, hindering advocacy efforts. Furthermore, poverty and financial constraints often impede access to treatment and support resources, limiting opportunities for AYAs to engage in advocacy initiatives. Inadequate healthcare systems, lack of specialised care facilities and limited training for healthcare professionals also pose significant challenges. This paper highlights the urgent need to address these multifaceted barriers through collaborative efforts involving healthcare providers, policymakers and community organisations. Recommendations are provided for developing culturally sensitive advocacy programs, improving health literacy and strengthening healthcare infrastructure to empower AYAs with cancer and amplify their voices in Africa.
青少年和青年（AYAs）正处于人生的关键阶段，通常在追求教育、开启职业生涯、建立人际关系并争取独立。癌症打乱了这些关键的人生转变，造成了巨大的情感和心理压力。宣传倡导在提高对患癌青少年和青年的认知、获得护理及支持方面发挥着至关重要的作用。本文旨在识别并审视非洲患癌青少年和青年在获得癌症治疗及宣传倡导方面的潜在障碍。进行了一项选择性文献综述以为讨论提供基础。搜索涉及PubMed、Scopus和谷歌学术等数据库，使用了“青少年和青年”“癌症”“宣传倡导”“非洲”“障碍”和“因素”等关键词。根据相关性、时效性和质量挑选相关文章，重点关注实证研究以及开创性和理论性论文。借鉴现有文献、专家意见和案例研究，探讨了几个关键障碍，包括围绕癌症的社会和文化污名、获得健康教育和支持服务的机会有限、经济限制以及医疗保健基础设施不足。社会文化规范和禁忌可能导致缺乏关于癌症的公开对话，阻碍宣传倡导工作。此外，贫困和经济限制往往阻碍获得治疗和支持资源，限制了青少年和青年参与宣传倡导举措的机会。医疗保健系统不完善、缺乏专业护理设施以及医疗保健专业人员培训有限也构成重大挑战。本文强调迫切需要通过医疗保健提供者、政策制定者和社区组织的共同努力来应对这些多方面的障碍。针对制定具有文化敏感性的宣传倡导项目、提高健康素养以及加强医疗保健基础设施提出了建议，以使非洲患癌青少年和青年能够增强权能并放大他们的声音。
