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Table 3 Showing the distribution of the first person(person1) the respondents informed about their breast symptom(s), the pattern of directives received from the first person(Person1), the first orthodox medical personnel, the number of persons informed and number of personnel visited

From: Presentation intervals and the impact of delay on breast cancer progression in a black African population

a. Distribution of the first person informed

Person1 informed (N = 419)

 

n(%)

husband

 

212 (50.6)

child

Unspecified child

47 (11.1)

son

9 (2)

daughter

6 (1.4)

sibling

Unspecified sibling

3 (0.7)

male

6 (1.4)

female

31 (7.6)

parent

Unspecified parent

2 (0.4)

father

2 (0.4)

mother

20 (5.0)

extended family/in-laws

 

6 (1.4)

unrelated persons

friends/co-worker

15 (3.7)

neighbor

4 (0.8)

doctor

 

24 (6.0)

nursing personnel

CHEW

3 (0.6)

Certified nurse

17 (4.0)

chemist/pharmacist

 

3 (0.8)

spiritual leader

 

9 (2.0)

b, Advice received from person1 or FHP

Advice from first person

n(%)

Advice from FHP

n(%)

visit general practitioner

215 (55)

Visit doctor

17 (5.5)

Visit a breast surgeon

11 (2.9)

Visit surgeon

139 (44.8)

Visit nurse

6 (1.6)

investigate

129 (41.6)

Investigate

13 (3.2)

Antibiotics/injection/gel

5 (1.6)

Antibiotics/ gel

12 (3.0)

consult spiritual leader

3 (1.0)

chemist or pharmacist

9 (2.5)

observe/reassured

17 (5.5)

Excise

5 (1.5)

  

Alternative

40 (11)

  

Observe/Reassured/ tell

48 (12)

  

Go hospital

24 (6.0)

  

People informed(range 0–11, median: 2)

 

Number of FHP visited(range: 0–4, median: 1)

 

0–1

152 (37)

0–1

296 (73)

2–3

170 (42)

2–3

107 (26)

> 3

86 (21)

> 3

4 (1.0)

  1. CHEW community health extension worker, FHP First Healthcare Provider
  2. Table showing the distribution of the first person(Primary person) the respondents informed about their breast symptom(s), the pattern of directives received from the first person(Primary person), the first orthodox medical personnel, the number of persons informed and number of personnel visited