Health Care Workers' Perspectives on the Barriers and Facilitators to Digital Health Technology Use to Support Symptomatic Cancer Diagnosis in Southern Africa: Qualitative Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Despite improvements in early cancer diagnosis worldwide, morbidity and mortality in Southern Africa continue to rise owing to challenges with funding, sociocultural beliefs, and health care access. Digital health ("eHealth") has the potential to expand access to health care, particularly to remote communities. However, few studies explored the use of eHealth to support symptomatic cancer diagnosis in Southern Africa.

Objective

This study explored the barriers and facilitators to eHealth use by health care workers (HCWs) to support the management of people with symptoms of possible breast, cervical, or colorectal cancer in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

Methods

We conducted semistructured in-depth interviews with HCWs (n=56) who managed people with symptoms of

SUBMITTER: Arendse KD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12289292 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature