Tangle in the trajectory taken by women until the chemotherapy treatment

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: to know the trajectory taken by women as of the first symptoms of cancer up to the chemotherapy treatment in the Brazilian Unified Health System in a city in the south of Brazil. METHOD: a qualitative, descriptive study was conducted in the chemotherapy unit of a federal teaching hospital, in which 12 women, with any type of cancer, were selected by convenience and interviewed in October 2015. Data were submitted to content analysis. RESULTS: the statements of the women interviewed showed that their paths were not horizontal, nor converged to a defined care flow for people with cancer in the studied network, and some of them had their first appointment with a specialist physician. Access to appointments and cancer diagnosis was delayed in the public health system, but treatment was faster. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: investment in the development of a specific care flow for people with cancer in the healthcare network and in the qualification of health professionals regarding this care and guidance strategies for system users could optimize early detection and provide patients with greater chances of survival and cure.