3707 - Patient Perspectives on the Impact of Survivor-Narrative Education Videos in Botswanan Gynecological Cancer Care
Presenter(s)
M. Brockman1, S. Amoo-Mitchual2, S. N. Prattipati3, C. J. Brereton4,5, S. P. Prabha Suresh6, W. Song7, B. Monare8, R. Ketlametswe8, A. Strazinsky9, H. Vulpe10, A. Montgomery7, K. Rendle11, and S. Grover12; 1University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 2Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 3Boston University, Boston, MA, 4Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Philadelphia, PA, 5University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 6Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana, 7University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 8Botswana-University of Pennsylvania Partnership, Gaborone, Botswana, 9Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 10Department of Radiation Oncology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, 11Department of Family Medicine & Community Health & Penn Center for Cancer Care Innovation, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 12Department of Radiation Oncology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
Purpose/Objective(s):
Gynecological cancers are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Botswana. Health misinformation, belief in faith-based cures, cervical cancer stigma, and fatalistic beliefs about cancer have been identified as barriers to early intervention and treatment adherence. Culturally sensitive narrative education has emerged as a powerful participant education tool that challenges these beliefs across many contexts. The study aims to explore how women with newly diagnosed gynecological cancers in Botswana experienced and interpreted a survivor narrative video intervention as a tool for navigating their diagnosis and treatment journey.Materials/Methods:
We developed eight educational videos featuring gynecological cancer survivors treated at the Multidisciplinary Team Clinic (GYN-MDT) at Princess Marina Hospital (4 cervical, 2 endometrial, 1 vulvar, 1 ovarian). The videos, averaging 11 minutes, addressed diagnosis, treatment modalities, and survivorship. Participants watched one video corresponding to their cancer diagnosis and stage with a research officer present. After viewing, participants were asked open-ended questions including feedback, comments, and concerns about the intervention, which were then analyzed using thematic analysis. Responses were inductively coded in Microsoft Excel (version 16.105.3) by two independent coders. Final themes were refined and finalized through discussion and consensus among the coding team.Results:
Fifty-nine patients with gynecological cancer were included in this study, the majority of whom were women living with HIV (62.7%). Most participants were diagnosed with cervical cancer (86.4%), followed by vulvar (6.8%), endometrial (5.1%), and ovarian cancer (1.7%). Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with 24 (40.6%) participants reporting increased hope, motivation, or satisfaction following the intervention. Thirty-nine participants (66.1%) shared specific feedback after viewing the videos. Participants described how the intervention reframed their understanding of their diagnosis, improved understanding of their cancer staging, and dispelled myths surrounding radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Seven (11.9%) participants noted systemic and logistical barriers to care, such as delayed diagnosis, transportation challenges, and understanding of treatment, and supported the videos addressing these gaps in understanding.Conclusion: Survivor-narrative videos are a culturally resonant tool that increase patient motivation and treatment satisfaction while effectively dispelling myths surrounding cancer diagnosis and treatment. Future interventions should evaluate the implementation and long-term impact of the survivorship videos in real-world settings .