Assessment of Factors Contributing to Delayed Surgeries in Enlarged Prostate Patients: A Survey at Kisumu County Referral Hospital

Abstract

Enlarged prostate, also known as Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is the enlargement of the prostate gland in men resulting in frequent urination, weak urine stream, and inability to completely empty the bladder. Prostate cancer is the second most commonly occurring cancer in men and the fourth most commonly occurring cancer overall. There were 1.3 million new cases of prostate cancer globally in 2018. Although there is a scarcity of information on the disease in African men, past studies have revealed that the disease can be managed if detected in its early stages. The purpose of the study was to assess the factors contributing to delayed surgeries in enlarged prostate patients at Kisumu County Referral hospital. Specific objectives were to determine the level of knowledge and awareness on enlarged prostate; assess institutional factors hindering surgeries in enlarged prostate and determine socio-economic factors of the patients’ hindering surgeries in enlarged prostate at Kisumu County Referral hospital. A descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The study targeted enlarged prostate patients and top management of the Kisumu County Referral Hospital from which a sample of 50 respondents was selected using the inclusion-exclusion criteria to participate in the study. The study adopted structured questionnaires for data collection. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics with both qualitative and quantitative analysis and the findings were presented in frequency distribution tables and percentages. The study achieved a questionnaire return rate of 94% with the majority of the respondents, 45%, earning a monthly income ranging from 10,000 to 20,000. Findings revealed that 91%, had knowledge of prostate cancer with 83% stating that the medium through which they learned of the disease was the media, friends, relatives, and at the workplace. Unwillingness to be screened for prostate cancer was due to a lack of knowledge (53%). The study established the hospital was crowded, 78%, and thus the available resources were not sufficient to cater to the population seeking medical attention. Institutional factors related to doctors’/nurses’ workmanship were the common contributors to delayed surgeries and medical attention in terms of negligence, 66%, poor communication channels hence conflicting information, 72%, and doctors’/nurses’ competence at work, 42%. Evidently, the family plays a major role in one’s health decisions especially pertaining to chronic diseases such as cancer, 66%. Lack of finances limits access to quality and timely healthcare with 83% and 87% respectively. Conclusively, the majority of the delays in surgeries in enlarged prostate patients at the hospital were due to the institution’s inability in terms of resources, facilities, and qualified and competent personnel. Socio-economic factors also contributed to delayed surgeries in enlarged prostate patients at Kisumu County Referral Hospital. The study recommends mobilization and sensitization to create awareness and increase the knowledge of prostate cancer, the government should intervene through improving the facilities, resources, and staff as a measure to manage the ever-increasing population seeking medical care at the hospital and to find ways of reducing medical costs, especially for cancer patients, so as to enable victims’ access medical care with ease.