Abstract
Scottish women living with breast cancer may face geographical and structural inequalities in accessing care and support, yet little is known about how differences in geography shape help-seeking. The aim of the present study was to explore these experiences among women living with breast cancer in rural and urban Scotland. A qualitative design was employed and analysed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Seven women diagnosed with breast cancer were recruited via Breast Cancer Now and participated in semi-structured online interviews exploring symptom recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and support. Three interconnected themes were identified: (i) experiencing care as shaped by uneven geography and its consequences, (ii) assembling support beyond primary care, and (iii) navigating an opaque healthcare system. Geographical variation in service accessibility, hidden financial/emotional costs of accessing care, and reliance on informal and external support networks influenced help-seeking. Participants described the burden of navigating fragmented systems, where support was contingent on knowing what to ask. Help-seeking was not experienced as a discrete behaviour, but as an ongoing, effortful process shaped by regional structural, relational, and emotional factors. These findings highlight the need for more accessible, coordinated, person-centred approaches to breast cancer care that reduce the burden on individuals navigating support systems.