Experiences Of Men Diagnosed With Prostate Cancer In The Four Northern Regions Of Namibia

ABSTRACT

Men diagnosed with prostate cancer have different experiences and express different emotions regarding their diagnosis. In daily conversations, some patients revealed that they were totally surprised by the diagnosis, others expressed that they were in denial, while some anticipated their diagnosis. As a result, a qualitative study aimed at exploring and describing the experiences of men diagnosed with prostate cancer was carried out in the four northern regions: Oshana, Ohangwena, Omusati and Oshikoto. A phenomenological, explorative and descriptive design was followed as the basis for conducting the study. The data was collected through in-depth interviews conducted at an intermediate hospital in the northern part of the country. A sample of ten (10) men diagnosed and living with prostate cancer was selected using a purposive sampling technique. The sample size was determined by saturation of data as reflected in repeating themes. Rich data on participants’ experiences with prostate cancer after being diagnosed was obtained through individual interviews. During these interviews, participants were asked only one central question: “What is your experience with prostate cancer after being diagnosed?” Interviews were tape recorded and field notes were taken during the interview to ensure that all experiences of the participants were captured. Communication skills were employed to encourage participants to verbalize their experiences regarding prostate cancer. Interview data was transcribed verbatim.