| dc.description.abstract | Cancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide, accounting for nearly 10 million deaths in 2020. In Africa, Cancer incidence increased from 715,000 in 2008 to 1.1 million in 2020, and cancer mortality count increased from 542,000 in 2008 to 711,000 in 2020. The annual incidence of cancer in Kenya increased from 37,000 cases in 2012 to 47,887 in 2018. Similarly, the annual mortality rose to 32,987 in 2018, from 28,500 in 2012.Delayed presentation of cancer patients can lead to a more advanced stage of the disease, decreased chances of survival, and increased healthcare costs, and therefore, shortening the interval between onset of symptoms and initiation of treatment would greatly improve patient outcomes and also reduce the cost of more aggressive treatment. Many cancers can be cured if detected early and treated effectively. The aim of the study was to identify the determinants of cancer treatment among patients visiting oncology clinic in JOOTRH. This study used a cross-sectional design. The study was undertaken at JOOTRH. Secondary data was sourced from medical records. Sample size number was 126. Data was analysed using SPSS version 29. The categorical variables were presented as frequencies with percentages and continuous data was represented as mean and standard deviation. 28 (34%) consulted health care after one year and more, 25 (30%) within 6 months to 1 year, 24 (29%) after 3-6 months while 6% within 3 months. Therefore, about 65% (53) waited for more than 6 months to visit a health facility. 28(34%) received timely diagnosis after visiting a health facility within 3 months, 27(33%) waited for 3-6 months, 26(32%) had to wait for more than 6 months while only 1% could not recall. Therefore, 53(65%) waited for more than 3 months to receive a diagnosis of cancer after visiting a health facility. 21 of the respondents (26%) received timely initiation of treatment after getting their diagnosis of cancer, that is, within two to 2 weeks of diagnosis. 16 (20%) waited for between 4 weeks to 3 months, 2% waited for more than 6 months while the majority 43(52%) received treatment after a period of 2-4 weeks. This study confirms that cancer is affecting the productive age groups (below 70 years old) which will consequently affect the overall economic productivity in this country. Delay in cancer diagnosis and treatment is an important factor for the overall outcome of the disease process | en_US |
