Australia is one of the most culturally and linguistically diverse countries in the world. The Cancer Council NSW reported that a quarter of cancers were diagnosed among migrants, which is proportional to their representation in the population. However international evidence suggests that ethnic minorities have higher cancer incidence, are diagnosed with later stage cancers, and have poorer outcomes than their Caucasian peers, and that the recent improvements in cancer survival in Australia are not being mirrored amongst the country’s migrant population.
Approximately a third of cancer patients experience high levels of physical or psychological distress and the evidence is compelling that much psychosocial morbidity experienced by all cancer patients is not detected by health care providers and therefore remains untreated. Australian data indicate this is even more pronounced for CALD patients, with CALD cancer patients being shown to experience significantly lower quality of life and a higher incidence of clinical depression compared to their English-speaking counterparts. Australian CALD patients report more side effects in comparison to English-speaking patients, are less satisfied with their cancer care and have unmet needs relating to emotional support and information. CALD patients also face significant challenges regarding communication with their health care team and a lack of culturally sensitive resources, which contributed to a sense of isolation and distress. Together, this evidence suggests that CALD patients experience greater cancer burden and imply that there may be cultural and systemic barriers that impact on the CALD population in seeking and receiving suitable care in a timely manner.
This presentation will provide an overview of the issues faced by immigrant cancer survivors and directions for research to redress some of the identified inequities.