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Men have a critical role to play in reducing cervical cancer burden. Yet, there is little information on male involvement in the cervical cancer screening and treatment process in Ghana. In this study, we explore male knowledge and support during cervical cancer screening and treatment in a rural setting in Ghana. In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted among a total of 41 respondents to collect qualitative data from cervical cancer patients, their male partners and other married men in the North Tongu District, Ghana. A thematic approach was used for data analysis and presentation of the results. The results show that male partners have little or no knowledge about cervical cancer. Some men provide various forms of support-financial, social, material and emotional-to their partners during the screening and treatment stages of the disease. Some men, however, abandoned their partners during the screening and treatment process of the disease. Men whose partners did not have cervical cancer said they were willing to provide financial, social, emotional and material support to their partners if they should contract the disease. Some men said they were willing to support their female partners but lacked education on the disease. This study underscores the need for cervical cancer education programmes to target Ghanaian men. The education should focus on the causes of the disease, screening and treatment methods of the disease, and, ultimately, promote spousal support during the screening and treatment processes., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Cervical cancer is a very common disease among women in Ghana and in the world as a whole. However, there is a dearth of information on the mechanisms cervical cancer patients adopt to cope with the condition in Ghana. This study sought to explore the strategies adopted by cervical cancer patients in rural Ghana to cope with the disease., Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data from cervical cancer patients in a health facility in the Volta Region of Ghana. Data processing was done using the R software package for Qualitative Data Analysis (RQDA) and a thematic approach was used to analyse and present the results., Results: The results show that cervical cancer patients adopted personal and psychological strategies such as sexual abstinence, personal hygiene, and disease denial to cope with the condition. Respondents also described social, financial and non-material support services they received from family members and the church as critical resources, which helped them to manage the conditions of the disease. Respondents also reported that faith healing, herbal and orthodox medicines helped them to manage the symptoms of the disease., Conclusions: Cervical cancer patients used a variety of coping strategies to manage the disease. Yet, it will be essential for interventions to focus on strengthening knowledge about the disease. This study underscores the need for financial, social and material support as well as an encouragement of the use of health services among cervical cancer patients.