PERCEPTION OF BREAST CANCER PATIENTS TO TREATMENT ALTERNATIVE
ABSTRACT: Background: Breast cancer is commonly seen as the second highest incident in Indonesia with the tendency to increase gradually from time to time. It is clearly shown by the increasing number of patients of breast cancer which is in line with the number of mortality cases caused by this kind of cancer. Annually, the number of patients is predicted to reach around 33.000 from 177.000 new case. Some various efforts have been conducted by the medical institution in order to decrease the mortality numbers such as the development of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatment so far. On the other hand, not only does the medical doctor try to find many ways to fight against the breast cancer but also does the society find another alternative to seek for the cure. Nowdays, the alternative treatments has been known widely since many people put their expectation on this treatment. Aim: The aim of the research is to study the perception of breast cancer patients toward alternative treatment. Method: The research utilizes qualitative one conducted in Rumah Sakit Umum Pusat Dr. Sardjito Yogyakarta. The subjects of the research are the six breast cancer patients followed by one onkology specialist. Result: It is known that the understanding and information related to breast cancer are still gathered and obtained from relatives, close friends, and magazines. Moreover, these information sources also direct the patients to take specific treatment based on their own understanding on the case. It is realized that the patients who are certainly in the state of fear will directly obey whatever suggestions they hear without thinking in advance. They just choose the medication and the treatment which are not provenly trusted or reliable such as consuming herbs and pain killer and many other untrusted medicines. These actions taken by the patients are merely caused as they do not put strong belief to the medical treatment and they cannot afford the cost of taking proper treatment for breast cancer. Despite their unability to take medical treatment, they somehow also acknowledge that the alternative treatment seems not to satisfy them in term that the alternative one cannot cure them. They don’t think there are any benefits gained from consuming this alternative. What is worse, they also confess that the alternative treatment slows down the effect of medical treatment which actually still has higher opportunity to cure the breast cancer patients. Conclusion : The limitation and lack of information and knowledge cause negative impacts to the patients overall. This kind of drawbacks makes the patients unable to choose the best option regarding to their current condition. Even so, the fallacious decision they have made slows down the process of treatment on the track of slowing down the healing process. Improper perception anway emerges in that the patients lack of information and knowledge about this. As a result, the patients rushingly choose the alternative treatment to cure their desease which in fact does not contribute much on their health. Thus, the alternative treatment taken directly is far more costly than is the medical treatment. Keyword: breast cancer, perception, alternative treatment
