{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]],"date-time":"2026-09-01T13:30:56Z","timestamp":1788269456092,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":54,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,20]],"date-time":"2025-06-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1750377600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS One"],"abstract":"<jats:sec id=\"sec023\">\n<jats:title>Background<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Breast and cervical cancers are major health issues globally, with particularly high burdens in sub-Saharan Africa, including Gabon. Limited epidemiological data and insufficient attention to the psychological impacts of these cancers highlight critical research gaps. This study aimed to explore the psychological repercussions experienced by Gabonese women following the disclosure of a breast or cervical cancer diagnosis.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec024\">\n<jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>A mixed-methods cross-sectional study was conducted from March to May 2023 at the Institut de Canc\u00e9rologie d\u2019Akanda. Women recently diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer were recruited using a consecutive sampling method. Data were collected through semi-structured individual interviews and one focus group to explore emotional responses, coping strategies, and perceptions of patient\u2013provider interactions. In addition, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was administered to assess depressive symptoms.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec025\">\n<jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>Thirteen Gabonese women diagnosed with breast (n\u2009=\u200910) or cervical cancer (n\u2009=\u20093) participated in this mixed-methods study. Following the disclosure, all patients reported depressive symptoms ranging from minimal to moderately severe (PHQ-9). Qualitative analysis revealed intense emotional distress, including anxiety, sadness, sleep disturbances, and despair. The diagnosis affected participants\u2019 identity, body image, and social relationships, reinforcing feelings of stigma, isolation, and loss. Beliefs about disease etiology and social representations shaped emotional responses. While some relied on spirituality, social support, or personal resilience to cope, others expressed unmet psychological needs. Participants emphasized the importance of clear, compassionate communication from healthcare professionals, highlighting the need for empathy, trust, and active listening during diagnosis disclosure.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n<jats:sec id=\"sec026\">\n<jats:title>Conclusion<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p>This pioneering study in Gabon identifies profound psychological effects associated with breast and cervical cancer diagnosis disclosure. The findings underscore the urgent need for improved psychosocial support, effective communication training for healthcare providers, and culturally tailored interventions to address mental health concerns in this population.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0326378","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,20]],"date-time":"2025-06-20T17:21:09Z","timestamp":1750440069000},"page":"e0326378","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Psychological repercussions of breast or uterine cervical cancer disclosure to women in Gabon"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"20","author":[{"given":"B\u00e9a-Christelle","family":"Ndjengue Bengone","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8988-779X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Jean","family":"Toniolo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Angela-Christie","family":"Filankembo Kava","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Edgard Brice","family":"Ngoungou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ernest","family":"Belembaogo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pierre-Marie","family":"Preux","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,20]]},"reference":[{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0326378.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"229","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.21834","article-title":"Global cancer statistics 2022: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries","volume":"74","author":"F Bray","year":"2024","journal-title":"CA Cancer J Clin"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0326378.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1154","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-025-03502-3","article-title":"Global patterns and trends in breast cancer incidence and mortality across 185 countries","volume":"31","author":"J Kim","year":"2025","journal-title":"Nat Med"},{"key":"pone.0326378.ref003","author":"World Health Organization (WHO) - Regional Office of Africa","year":"2023"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0326378.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"209","DOI":"10.3322\/caac.21660","article-title":"Global Cancer Statistics 2020: GLOBOCAN Estimates of Incidence and Mortality Worldwide for 36 Cancers in 185 Countries","volume":"71","author":"H Sung","year":"2021","journal-title":"CA Cancer J Clin"},{"issue":"3","key":"pone.0326378.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2058","DOI":"10.3892\/ol.2020.11754","article-title":"Cervical cancer in low and middle-income countries","volume":"20","author":"R Hull","year":"2020","journal-title":"Oncol Lett"},{"key":"pone.0326378.ref006","author":"World Health Organization","year":"2024"},{"key":"pone.0326378.ref007","author":"Organisation Mondiale de la Sant\u00e9 (OMS)","year":"2022"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0326378.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"696","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gyobfe.2013.08.019","article-title":"Factors linked to late diagnosis in breast cancer in Sub-Saharan Africa: case of C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire","volume":"41","author":"M Toure","year":"2013","journal-title":"Gynecol Obstet Fertil"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0326378.ref009","first-page":"40","article-title":"Cancer du sein: \u00c9valuation des connaissances des femmes dans un h\u00f4pital de 2\u00e8me niveau de Bamako, MALI","author":"A Kodio","year":"2024","journal-title":"Mali Med"},{"key":"pone.0326378.ref010","author":"EB Ngoungou","year":"2020"},{"key":"pone.0326378.ref011","article-title":"International Agency for Research on Cancer W. 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La d\u00e9tresse des patients atteints de cancer: pr\u00e9valence, facteurs pr\u00e9dictifs, modalit\u00e9s de r\u00e9p\u00e9rage et de prise en charge. 2009. https:\/\/theses.hal.science\/tel-00432252"}],"container-title":["PLOS One"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0326378","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,20]],"date-time":"2025-06-20T17:21:20Z","timestamp":1750440080000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/dx.plos.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0326378"}},"subtitle":[],"editor":[{"given":"Mickael","family":"Essouma","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"editor"}]}],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,20]]},"references-count":54,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,20]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.0326378","relation":{},"ISSN":["1932-6203"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1932-6203","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,6,20]]}}}