Background
Project HESITANT is dedicated to improving coherence within patient trajectories and minimizing delaying factors in diagnostic procedures of penile lesions. Healthcare seeking practices of men and their clinical encounters involve how both patient and physician perceive symptoms and how genital lesions are best approached, intertwined with everyday concerns, moral issues, and notions of gender and risk. The aim of this study is to explore the experience of healthcare seeking, prolonged patient trajectories, and challenged sector transitions for men with penile lesions.

Methods
This on-going study is based on an anthropological and social science approach with participant observations and qualitative interviews consisting of the following:
- 20-30 observations of consultations at urology clinics with men who have or have had
penile cancer or penile changes.
- 16 in-depth interviews with men who have or have had penile cancer and penile changes.

Results
Preliminary results emphasize how gender shapes symptom perceptions and guides a pathway within the Danish healthcare system. Furthermore, the needs and healthcare seeking practices of men with penile changes are clearly dependent on occupation, marital status, previous illness experiences and several other intersectional dimensions. The varied experiences of clinical meetings across sectors impact the individual and their healthcare seeking process. Due to the intimate nature of the diagnosis men often manage and cope on their own and face disclosure-dilemmas when they receive their diagnosis. Due to the rarity of penile cancer and penile changes, the support available is lacking, particularly regarding sexual health.

Conclusions
The study provides insight on patient and system intervals to help further develop knowledge of critical moments and how to mitigate possible pathway complications. Furthermore, the importance of a gendered perspective on healthcare seeking is displayed and suggests further exploration of men’s specific needs when faced with penile changes.