Journal
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH
Volume 15, Issue 4, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph15040717
Keywords
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander; Indigenous Australians; cancer; cancer services; cancer care; treatment; cultural safety
Funding
- Centre of Research Excellence in Discovering Indigenous Strategies to improve Cancer Outcomes Via Engagement, Research Translation and Training (DISCOVER-TT CRE - National Health and Medical Research Council) [National Health and Medical Research Council #1041111]
- Strategic Research Partnership to improve Cancer control for Indigenous Australians (STREP Ca-CIndA through Cancer Council NSW) [SRP 13-01]
- Strategic Research Partnership to improve Cancer control for Indigenous Australians (STREP Ca-CIndA through Cancer Council WA)
- NHMRC [1058244, 1105399, APP1037386]
- National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia [1105399] Funding Source: NHMRC
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Indigenous Australians continue to experience significantly poorer outcomes from cancer than non-Indigenous Australians. Despite the importance of culturally appropriate cancer services in improving outcomes, there is a lack of awareness of current programs and initiatives that are aimed at meeting the needs of Indigenous patients. Telephone interviews were used to identify and describe the Indigenous-specific programs and initiatives that are implemented in a subset of the services that participated in a larger national online survey of cancer treatment services. Fourteen services located across Australia participated in the interviews. Participants identified a number of factors that were seen as critical to delivering culturally appropriate treatment and support, including having a trained workforce with effective cross-cultural communication skills, providing best practice care, and improving the knowledge, attitudes, and understanding of cancer by Indigenous people. However, over a third of participants were not sure how their service compared with others, indicating that they were not aware of how other services are doing in this field. There are currently many Indigenous-specific programs and initiatives that are aimed at providing culturally appropriate treatment and supporting Indigenous people affected by cancer across Australia. However, details of these initiatives are not widely known and barriers to information sharing exist. Further research in this area is needed to evaluate programs and initiatives and showcase the effective approaches to Indigenous cancer care.
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