Research Article

Impact of Primary Care Delay on Progression of Breast Cancer in a Black African Population: A Multicentered Survey

Table 4

Cluster characteristics: There were three subgroups with long primary care intervals (clusters 1-3) and one with short primary care interval (cluster 4). The majority of the patients were aware of breast cancer in all the clusters. The largest cluster was the deliberate delayers.

Cluster 1Cluster 2Cluster 3Cluster 4
(n=36)(n=56)(n=26)(n=39)

Clustering variables
Primary care interval>30 days>30 days>30 days<30 days
DirectiveCorrectCorrectIncorrectCorrect
Tumor size at FHP contact>3cm<3cm<3cm<3cm
Number of personnel visitedoneone>oneone
Driving distance (min) to specialist>60<60<60<60
Age>40<40>40>40
Cluster labelCorrect advice and late (older)Correct advice and late (younger)Erroneous advice and lateCorrect advice and early
Knowledge distribution across clusters
Aware of breast cancer (%)72876879
Knowing treatment (mastectomy)61338
Knowing patient712710
Knowing case fatality4626
Knowing case survival2334

Perceived reason for the delay
misdiagnosis163
Symptom mis-interpretation (by patient)4612
Systems (awaiting result, navigation, strike)3821
fear of mastectomy3201
financial and social issues4531
spiritual and native healing11

Type of First Healthcare Provider
doctor31411533
others (nurse, CHEW, chemist, pharmacist)515114
Distribution of FHP directives
upward referral1731024
investigating172219
excising1394
antibiotics/medications20160
Age distribution (years)
Range31-8026-7832-7534-85
Mean/median/mode56/56/4342/40/4053/52/4256/52/47
IQR47-6534-4846-6247-65
Marital status
married25451728
single51
Separate/divorced/widow3475
Educational status > 6 years (%)67766559
Experienced stage migration (%)53505822
DeductionImpact of distance and lack of resources  
(systems)
Deliberate delayers (socially unprepared to accept treatment   
The knowledgeable and independent decision maker
Impact personnel error 
Not knowledgeable and dependent on personnel for decision
Prepared to accept treatment