Introduction:

Gastric cancer is a public health problem that ranks fifth in world incidence and third in mortality.

Objective:

The aim of the exploratory stage of this study was to describe the barriers to health care perceived by adults with gastric cancer, their caregivers, and their attending physicians in the department of Santander, Colombia in 2015 and 2016.

Methodology:

This is a qualitative study using process techniques and grounded theory analysis based on semi-structured interviews that were codified and categorized with N-VIVO 10.

Results:

Thirteen categories and 182 codes described along 6 axes emerged. The first axis is related to the meaning of cancer and its barriers. The second is related to the primary barriers to health care which are, in order from most frequent to least frequent: administrative, economic, cultural, knowledge, communication and institutional. The third axis consists of strategies to overcome barriers. The fourth consists of strategies to diminish barriers. The fifth is related to feelings and the role of the family, and the sixth contains the patient’s needs.

Conclusion:

Fragmentation and segmentation of the health care system imposes barriers that limit early diagnosis of gastric cancer and timely management. In addition, they threaten the quality of life of the sick adult and her or his family.

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