Access to advanced cancer care services in the West Bank-occupied Palestinian territory
IntroductionUniversal Health Coverage (UHC) identifies the provision of palliative care for people with advanced disease as an essential health service. Palliative care is also stipulated as a human right under existing covenants. Oncology services provided by the Palestinian Authority under Israeli...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Oncology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1120783/full |
| _version_ | 1797869204862402560 |
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| author | Suzan Mitwalli Weeam Hammoudeh Rita Giacaman Richard Harding |
| author_facet | Suzan Mitwalli Weeam Hammoudeh Rita Giacaman Richard Harding |
| author_sort | Suzan Mitwalli |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | IntroductionUniversal Health Coverage (UHC) identifies the provision of palliative care for people with advanced disease as an essential health service. Palliative care is also stipulated as a human right under existing covenants. Oncology services provided by the Palestinian Authority under Israeli military occupation are limited to surgery and chemotherapy treatment. Our study aimed to describe the experiences of patients with advanced-stage cancer in the West Bank in accessing oncology services and meeting their health care needs.MethodologyWe conducted a qualitative study among adult patients diagnosed with advanced lung, colon, or breast cancer in three Palestinian governmental hospitals, and with oncologists. Thematic analysis was conducted on the verbatim interview transcripts.ResultsThe sample consisted of 22 Palestinian patients (10 men and 12 women) and 3 practicing oncologists. The findings reveal that cancer care is fragmented, with limited access to the services needed. Patients face referral delays in accessing treatment which worsen their health condition in some cases. Some patients reported difficulties in getting Israeli permits to access radiotherapy treatment in East-Jerusalem, and others experienced interruptions of their chemotherapy treatment sessions due to the unavailability of chemotherapy medications caused by Israeli-side delays. Other reported problems were related to the Palestinian health system and service delivery and quality, including fragmentation of services, infrastructure issues, and unavailability of medications. Advanced diagnostic services and palliative care are almost absent at Palestinian governmental hospitals, and patients need to seek these services in the private sector.ConclusionThe data demonstrate specific access restrictions to cancer care in the West Bank due to Israeli military occupation of Palestinian land. This affects all stages of the care pathway, from restricted diagnosis services, to limited treatment and then poor availability of palliative care. Cancer patients will continue to suffer if the root causes of these structural constraints are not addressed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T00:07:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-84c0cf68d81148ee9ef6b168790b0665 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2234-943X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T00:07:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Oncology |
| spelling | doaj.art-84c0cf68d81148ee9ef6b168790b06652023-03-16T16:34:59ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Oncology2234-943X2023-03-011310.3389/fonc.2023.11207831120783Access to advanced cancer care services in the West Bank-occupied Palestinian territorySuzan Mitwalli0Weeam Hammoudeh1Rita Giacaman2Richard Harding3Institute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, West Bank, PalestineInstitute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, West Bank, PalestineInstitute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University, West Bank, PalestineFlorence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, Cicely Saunders Institute, London, United KingdomIntroductionUniversal Health Coverage (UHC) identifies the provision of palliative care for people with advanced disease as an essential health service. Palliative care is also stipulated as a human right under existing covenants. Oncology services provided by the Palestinian Authority under Israeli military occupation are limited to surgery and chemotherapy treatment. Our study aimed to describe the experiences of patients with advanced-stage cancer in the West Bank in accessing oncology services and meeting their health care needs.MethodologyWe conducted a qualitative study among adult patients diagnosed with advanced lung, colon, or breast cancer in three Palestinian governmental hospitals, and with oncologists. Thematic analysis was conducted on the verbatim interview transcripts.ResultsThe sample consisted of 22 Palestinian patients (10 men and 12 women) and 3 practicing oncologists. The findings reveal that cancer care is fragmented, with limited access to the services needed. Patients face referral delays in accessing treatment which worsen their health condition in some cases. Some patients reported difficulties in getting Israeli permits to access radiotherapy treatment in East-Jerusalem, and others experienced interruptions of their chemotherapy treatment sessions due to the unavailability of chemotherapy medications caused by Israeli-side delays. Other reported problems were related to the Palestinian health system and service delivery and quality, including fragmentation of services, infrastructure issues, and unavailability of medications. Advanced diagnostic services and palliative care are almost absent at Palestinian governmental hospitals, and patients need to seek these services in the private sector.ConclusionThe data demonstrate specific access restrictions to cancer care in the West Bank due to Israeli military occupation of Palestinian land. This affects all stages of the care pathway, from restricted diagnosis services, to limited treatment and then poor availability of palliative care. Cancer patients will continue to suffer if the root causes of these structural constraints are not addressed.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1120783/fulloccupied Palestinian territory (oPt)accesscancercareservicesIsraeli military occupation; conflict |
| spellingShingle | Suzan Mitwalli Weeam Hammoudeh Rita Giacaman Richard Harding Access to advanced cancer care services in the West Bank-occupied Palestinian territory Frontiers in Oncology occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) access cancer care services Israeli military occupation; conflict |
| title | Access to advanced cancer care services in the West Bank-occupied Palestinian territory |
| title_full | Access to advanced cancer care services in the West Bank-occupied Palestinian territory |
| title_fullStr | Access to advanced cancer care services in the West Bank-occupied Palestinian territory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Access to advanced cancer care services in the West Bank-occupied Palestinian territory |
| title_short | Access to advanced cancer care services in the West Bank-occupied Palestinian territory |
| title_sort | access to advanced cancer care services in the west bank occupied palestinian territory |
| topic | occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) access cancer care services Israeli military occupation; conflict |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2023.1120783/full |
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