Is waiting the hardest part? A critical study of the experience of women awaiting breast biopsy results

Background Most previous research efforts have focused on the psychological effects of receiving a cancer diagnosis rather than the period of waiting for definitive Results. Early detection of cancer is directly linked to successful treatment regimes, yet these procedures evoke significant anxiety in patients. The long wait for medical test results in state health institutions, with one of the possible outcomes being a cancer diagnosis, means that the days of waiting can induce emotional distress before the diagnosis has even been given. Aim The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of women as they wait for their results from a breast biopsy. The focus of this research is on the emotions and cognitions experienced by the research collaborators during this waiting period. Methods Eight research collaborators were invited to, in their own voice, shed light on their individual experiences while waiting for their biopsy Results to gain an understanding of the experiences of each collaborator by letting her tell her story and to explore the possibility of shared experience between collaborators. Research collaborators at a local, government hospital kept a journal for the two-week waiting period for their biopsy results. Shortly before receiving their results, they took part in a short semi-structured interview to inquire about their waiting. The theoretical framework used for data interpretation is critical theory focusing on the structures within society and healthcare systems that impact on the experience of waiting. The undercurrent of critical commentary about the roles of the gender, economic, political and cultural factors that contribute to the screening experience for women in South Africa helps to shed light on the complex forces at play within the procedures. Results The results indicate that for some women waiting provokes significant psychological stress which manifests in multiple psychological processes including the psychological bracing phenomenon, denial, suppression and negation of their emotional experience all perpetuated by the structures of power within the health care system. Discussion More understanding of the psychological experience of awaiting a cancer diagnosis is required and there is an important place for qualitative approach to breast cancer research in South Africa.