Women’s Sociocultural Experiences of Breast Cancer in KwaZulu-Natal: A Qualitative Study

Female breast cancer is a debilitating disease affecting many women globally. Women living in developed countries tend to have significantly better survival outcomes, whereas those in resource-constrained settings, such as KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa, are unlikely to survive beyond five years after diagnosis. This disparity is shaped by limited breast cancer awareness, financial constraints, and an overburdened healthcare system. Additionally, women in this context are largely absent from scholarly literature. In response, a qualitative phenomenological design was adopted, and 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted with purposively selected Zulu women with breast cancer at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital, in KZN. The objective was to examine their sociocultural experiences with this condition. Through Bandura’s social cognitive theory and a thematic analysis, the findings reveal that KZN is characterised by sociocultural and spiritual norms that markedly weaken women’s coping efficacy. Crucially, the interviews highlight the urgent need to enhance the sociocultural competencies of care professionals to improve service delivery.