Causal health attributes and beliefs of tobacco-related cancer patients in Assam, India

Abstract

Purpose

People with chronic illness develop their own formulations about the disease and these attributions influence their health beliefs and subsequent health practices. This study explores the causal health beliefs and practices of tobacco-related cancer patients in the state of Assam considering their unique cultural health practices. The study uses Kleinman’s Explanatory Model for an extensive understanding of the patient’s health beliefs about their illness.

Methods

By adopting Explanatory Sequential Mixed design, 100 participants were interviewed in the quantitative phase of the study followed by 11 in-depth interviews in the qualitative phase.

Results

The study reveals that, among different factors internal and/or external to an individual, the participants highly attributed their illness to accidental/chance and/or supernatural factors (52%). Also, cancer fatalism was highly prevalent among the participants. Further, the majority of the participants with wrong beliefs, misinformation, and fear of cancer were uncertain about the success of their cancer-specific treatment. These participants were highly dependent on God concerning their future health.

Conclusions

The study suggests the need for designing cancer-education programmes and spreading mass awareness by engaging both modern and indigenous cancer care providers in addressing the health-seeking behavior and practices of the people of Barak Valley.

Keywords:

• Barak Valley
• health beliefs
• India
• perceived fear
• preferred treatment
• tobacco-related cancers

Acknowledgments

I would like to acknowledge my gratitude to Prof. Surinder Jaswal of TISS, Mumbai, for her continuous support and guidance in conducting the study. I sincerely thank cancer patients who had enriched the study with their participation and the two hospitals for facilitating in data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Financial support

No funding has been received for the study from any agency.