Psychological Journey of Delayed Medical Consultation in Patients With Breast Cancer Who Have Giant Tumors.

Background: Despite Taiwan's advanced healthcare system, many women delay seeking medical attention for breast abnormalities, leading to worsened health outcomes and increased medical costs.

Objective: To explore the psychological journeys of patients with breast cancer who delayed medical consultation and presented with large tumors.

Methods: A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted using purposive sampling and semistructured interviews with 12 participants. Giorgi's phenomenological method guided the data analysis.

Results: Most participants (75%) were aged 50 or younger and had at least a high school education. Delays in seeking medical care ranged from 3 to 36 months, worsening disease severity, complicating treatment, and causing significant breast disfigurement. Four themes emerged from their journeys: being ignorant, inner turmoil, hesitation to move forward, and breaking through.

Conclusions: Participants delayed care due to insufficient awareness, cognitive biases, emotional struggles, and reliance on self-treatment. Consequently, all participants were diagnosed at stage 3 or higher. Addressing barriers such as low health literacy, cultural stigmas, and limited access to care is essential to encourage early detection and timely medical consultation.

Implications for practice: To prevent delays in seeking care, healthcare systems should enhance education on low awareness, cognitive biases, and self-treatment. Targeted interventions can empower women to recognize early symptoms and seek timely care. Healthcare professionals should be trained to address patients' fears and hesitations with empathetic, culturally sensitive communication. Reducing barriers, such as low health literacy, cultural stigmas, and limited access to care through community outreach and improved screening services, is essential for early detection and better outcomes.