{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,13]],"date-time":"2026-10-13T15:39:31Z","timestamp":1791905971992,"version":"4.3.4"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]],"date-time":"2025-01-16T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1736985600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Current Oncology"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: The diagnosis and treatment of cancer are associated with substantial physical, psychological, and social morbidity for most patients. Distress can be seen as an unpleasant experience of an emotional, psychological, social, or spiritual nature that interferes with the ability to cope with cancer treatment. Purpose: The aim was to understand patients\u2019 experiences of distress in their context and to analyze and interpret the findings. Method: An explorative, descriptive qualitative study was conducted among cancer patients receiving treatment and care at rural hospitals in Limpopo. A face-to-face individual interview was conducted to determine the participants\u2019 cancer-related experiences and quality of life. Thematic analysis was conducted following Tesch\u2019s method, and the themes developed were subjected to a triangulation process to ensure the validity and rigor of the findings. Findings: The participants revealed experiences of symptomatic distress resulting in biopsychosocial distress such as pain, fatigue, emotional distress related to prognosis and uncertainty about the future, psychosocial distress related to a lack or absence of support, financial instability, and poor self-esteem. Conclusions: Cancer patients face many challenges during their treatment journey. Participants were drained by anxiety and uncertainty of the cancer trajectory and required psychosocial support. The oncology team must provide supportive preventive measures for side effects management and culture-sensitive psychotherapy at an early stage to improve their quality of life.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol32010043","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]],"date-time":"2025-01-16T06:46:10Z","timestamp":1737009970000},"page":"43","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["Psychosocial Distress and the Quality of Life of Cancer Patients in Rural Hospitals in Limpopo Province: A Qualitative Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"32","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7571-4767","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Dorah Ursula","family":"Ramathuba","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Advanced Nursing Science, University of Venda, P\/Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8633-7805","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Neo Jacqueline","family":"Ramutumbu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Advanced Nursing Science, University of Venda, P\/Bag X5050, Thohoyandou 0950, South Africa"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"WHO (2023, October 12). Latest Global Cancer Data: Cancer Burden Rises to 19.3 Million New Cases and 10.0 Million Cancer Deaths in 2020. Available online: https:\/\/www.iarc.fr\/fr\/news-events\/latest-global-cancer-data-cancer-burden-rises-to-19-3-million-new-cases-and-10-0-million-cancer-deaths-in-2020\/."},{"key":"ref_2","unstructured":"WHO (2020, March 07). 2012 Programme on Mental Health WHOQOL User Manual. WHO\/MNH\/MHP\/98.4. Rev. 1. Available online: https:\/\/iris.who.int\/bitstream\/handle\/10665\/77932\/WHO_HIS_HSI_Rev.2012.03_eng.pdf?sequence=1."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1485","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2014.01485","article-title":"Psychosocial screening and assessment in oncology and palliative care settings","volume":"5","author":"Grassi","year":"2015","journal-title":"Front. Psychol."},{"key":"ref_4","unstructured":"Gaedei, B., and Versteegii, M. (2024, November 26). The State of the Right to Health in Rural South Africa. Health System Trust. Available online: https:\/\/www.hst.org.za\/publications\/South%20African%20Health%20Reviews\/9%20The%20State%20of%20the%20Right%20to%20Health%20in%20Rural%20South%20Africa%20SAHR%202011.pdf."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e100871","DOI":"10.1136\/gpsych-2022-100871","article-title":"Cancer-related psychosocial challenges","volume":"35","author":"Wang","year":"2022","journal-title":"Gen. Psychiatry"},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"387","article-title":"An Evaluation on Psychosocial Problems Experienced by Cancer Patients During the Treatment Process: Qualitative Study","volume":"9","year":"2024","journal-title":"Turk. Klin. J. Health Sci."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ebob-Anya, B.-A., and Bassah, N. (2022). Psychosocial distress and the quality of life of cancer patients in two health facilities in Cameroon BMC Palliative Care 2022. BMC Palliat. Care, 21.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12904-022-00981-w"},{"key":"ref_8","unstructured":"Rensburg, R. (2024, November 26). Healthcare in South Africa: How Inequity is Contributing to Inefficiency. University of the Witwatersrand. Available online: https:\/\/theconversation.com\/healthcare-in-south-africa-how-inequity-is-contributing-to-inefficiency-163753."},{"key":"ref_9","unstructured":"De Vos, A.S., Strydom, H., Fouche, C.B., and Delport, C.S.L. (2016). Research at Grass Roots for the Social Sciences and Human Services Profession, Van Schaik. [4th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Polit, D.F., and Beck, C.T. (2022). Essentials of Nursing Research: Appraising Evidence for Nursing Practice, Wolters Kluwer. [10th ed.]."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Lincoln, Y., and Guba, E.G. (1985). Naturalistic Inquiry, Sage.","DOI":"10.1016\/0147-1767(85)90062-8"},{"key":"ref_12","unstructured":"Denzin, N.K., and Lincoln, Y.S. (2005). The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research, Sage."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"151553","DOI":"10.1016\/j.soncn.2023.151553","article-title":"Early Recognition and Management of Side Effects Related to Systemic Anticancer Therapy for Advanced Breast Cancer","volume":"40","author":"Wiseman","year":"2024","journal-title":"Semin. Oncol. Nurs."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Niveau, N., New, B., and Beaudoin, M. (2021). How Should Self-Esteem Be Considered in Cancer Patients?. Front. Psychol., 12.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2021.763900"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Brederecke, J., Heise, A., and Zimmermann, T. (2021). Body image in patients with different types of cancer. PLoS ONE, 16.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0260602"},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"1399","article-title":"Clinical management of emotions in patients with cancer: Introducing the approach \u201cemotional support and case finding\u201d","volume":"10","author":"Dekker","year":"2020","journal-title":"Transl. Behav. Med."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2019.10.003","article-title":"Thresholds for clinical importance were established to improve interpretation of the EORTC QLQ-C30 in clinical practice and research","volume":"118","author":"Giesinger","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Clin. Epidemiol."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1275","DOI":"10.1038\/bjc.1996.529","article-title":"Emotional support for cancer patients: What do patients really want?","volume":"74","author":"Slevin","year":"1996","journal-title":"Br. J. Cancer"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1762","DOI":"10.1002\/pon.5111","article-title":"Reducing distress in cancer patients\u2014A preliminary evaluation of short-term coaching by expert volunteers","volume":"28","author":"Post","year":"2019","journal-title":"Psychooncology"},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3569","DOI":"10.7314\/APJCP.2012.13.8.3569","article-title":"Importance of social support in cancer patients","volume":"13","author":"Usta","year":"2012","journal-title":"Asian Pac. J. Cancer Prev."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"23779608221106444","DOI":"10.1177\/23779608221106444","article-title":"Health-related quality of life and social support of elderly lung and gastrointestinal Cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy","volume":"8","author":"Kyriazidou","year":"2022","journal-title":"SAGE Open Nurs."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"188","DOI":"10.1007\/s11764-019-00829-y","article-title":"The challenge of return to work in workers with cancer: Employer priorities despite variation in social policies related to work and health","volume":"14","author":"Amir","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Cancer Surviv."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"9722","DOI":"10.3390\/curroncol29120763","article-title":"Fatigue, emotional distress, and illness uncertainty in patients with metastatic cancer: Results from the prospective NEOETIC_SEOM study","volume":"29","author":"Hernandez","year":"2022","journal-title":"Curr. Oncol."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"521","DOI":"10.1177\/1359105320962242","article-title":"The centrality of disclosure decisions to the illness experience for youth with chronic conditions: A qualitative study","volume":"27","author":"Woodgate","year":"2020","journal-title":"J. Health Psychol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Corovic, S., Vucic, V., Mihaljevic, O., Djordjevic, J., Colovic, S., Radovanovic, S., Radevic, S., Vukomanovic, I.S., Janicijevic, K., and Sekulic, M. (2023). Social support score in patients with malignant diseases\u2014With sociodemographic and medical characteristics. Front. Psychol., 14.","DOI":"10.3389\/fpsyg.2023.1160020"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e36258","DOI":"10.2196\/36258","article-title":"Optimizing Social Support in Oncology with Digital Platforms","volume":"8","author":"Katsaros","year":"2022","journal-title":"JMIR Cancer"},{"key":"ref_27","first-page":"1456","article-title":"Experiences of Cancer Patients: A Qualitative Study","volume":"11","author":"Derya","year":"2018","journal-title":"Int. J. Caring Sci."},{"key":"ref_28","first-page":"12","article-title":"Denial in cancer patients, an explorative review","volume":"16","author":"Vos","year":"2006","journal-title":"Psycho-Oncol. J. Psychol. Soc. Behav. Dimens. Cancer"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"514","DOI":"10.3109\/07357909909032861","article-title":"Denial in Cancer Patients","volume":"17","author":"Kreitler","year":"1999","journal-title":"Cancer Investig."},{"key":"ref_30","first-page":"e83","article-title":"Perceptions of the impact of culture on delivery of patient care among nursing students at Welwitchia Health Training Centre, Namibia","volume":"1","author":"Indongo","year":"2023","journal-title":"Undergrad. Res. Health J."},{"key":"ref_31","first-page":"2175517","article-title":"Exploring Psychosocial Needs of Patients with Cancers through the Lens of the Physicians and Nurses: A Qualitative Study","volume":"2024","year":"2024","journal-title":"J. Nurs. Manag."}],"container-title":["Current Oncology"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1718-7729\/32\/1\/43\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,8]],"date-time":"2025-10-08T10:29:53Z","timestamp":1759919393000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/1718-7729\/32\/1\/43"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]]},"references-count":31,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1]]}},"alternative-id":["curroncol32010043"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/curroncol32010043","relation":{},"ISSN":["1718-7729"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1718-7729","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,16]]}}}