Jasmine Micklem, PhD, of the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia, discusses disparities in the incidence of cancer in aboriginal communities. Roslyn Weetra, an Aboriginal Elder and cancer survivor, mentions not being able to relate to the staff and that often there has been a cultural barrier. She believes supportive care workers could have incorporated more of the aboriginal culture, to help patients navigate through all the possibilities of cancer treatment. Dr. Micklem discusses a partnership project funded by the council, to allow for some changes to occur in the cancer care services to include aboriginal communities. The project discovered a multitude of issues around barriers to treatment and supportive care is one of the main factors that can make a huge difference in outcomes for people. Recorded at the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) and International Society of Ocular Oncology (ISOO) 2016 Annual Meeting on Supportive Care in Cancer held in Adelaide, Australia.
A cultural barrier in cancer treatment: providing services to aboriginal communities
