SOCIAL CAPITAL: AN EXPLORATIVE INVESTIGATION OF EXPERIENCES OF WOMEN WITH BREAST CANCER IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women worldwide. Following diagnosis and treatments, breast cancer patients often find themselves vulnerable and in need of social capital. However, social capital has received little attention when designing behavioural interventions for breast cancer. The aim of this study is to describe breast cancer patients’ experiences of social capital while managing their illness.

Method: The study was non-experimental in design. Twenty-nine women with breast cancer, who were receiving treatment, that consented to participate were purposively recruited for the study. The Data were content-analysed using free narrative.

Result: The data show that relatives, spouses and friends play important role in providing social capital. Supportive behaviours through the provision of emotional support, such as empathy, and the provision of instrumental support, such as paying for medications and helping patients apply drugs, aid patients in managing and coping with the breast cancer.

Conclusion: Social capital through civic provision and individual efforts alone, without considering social network, cannot yield a desirable result in the process of managing breast cancer. Health care interventionists should identify and capitalize on socio-dynamic pathways involved in social capital in formulating policy for managing breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast Cancer, Patients, Relatives, Spouses, Empathy