New report of cervical cancer screening in indigenous communities
A new Queensland report to be launched tomorrow, June 3, has identified that indigenous women are slowly accessing dedicated women's health services, but there are still barriers preventing them from undertaking cervical cancer screenings.
The report by University of Queensland researchers says these barriers included cultural and gender-related issues, limited existing health services for indigenous women, especially in rural and remote areas, and logistical attendance problems for patients.
The study, which will be launched at a Partnerships in Women's Health workshop in Brisbane at Yungaba, Kangaroo Point, was undertaken because of the disproportionate burden of illness and death from cancer of the cervix among indigenous women. They are about 10 times more likely to die of cervical cancer than other women in Queensland.
'Indigenous women have a comparatively high incidence of, and mortality from cervical cancer, partly associated with late presentation for diagnosis and treatment,' research team member Professor Lenore Manderson said.
'The late presentation of women with disease suggests the importance of identifying barriers to service use by women.'
The project examined these barriers and indigenous women's adherence to diagnosis and treatment for cancer disease.
It also looked at appropriate service delivery models to encourage participation in screening, and identified advantages and problems of implementing appropriate strategies within indigenous communities.
Cultural and gender-related issues were important, as the report said most indigenous women chose a female practitioner rather than a male.
The report says indigenous women surveyed considered that female practitioners should perform cervical cancer screening as it was 'women's business'. The women consistently expressed anxiety over going to a medical practitioner and 'never knowing how you will be treated.'
'Trust, respect and security between patient and practitioner are essential if indigenous women are to access cervical cancer screening,' the report said.
'Once a relationship is established women will return regularly for cervical cancer screening.
'Women feel that they need to build slowly on this relationship with a female practitioner, before they allow them to perform a Pap smear. The length of time a practitioner spends in the community or town also influences a woman's trust and respect in the practitioner and the services provided.'
The report recommends strategies for providing education and clinical services to Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women for prevention, early detection and effective treatment of cervical cancer. It also recommended that guidelines be developed for a code of best practice in the delivery of health care services to indigenous women.
'The report and recommendations have been accepted by Queensland Health, and are now being used as the basis to develop a strategic plan to improve the prevention of and outcomes for indigenous women with cervical cancer,' Professor Manderson said.
Professor Manderson is Professor of Tropical Health at the University's Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health and Nutrition (ACITHN).
The research was conducted by Professor Manderson, University researchers Elizabeth Hoban, Anne Dunne and Maureen Kirk, formerly the indigenous cancer support officer at the Royal Women's Hospital who was seconded to the project. Ms Kirk is now the Queensland Health State project officer responsible for implementing activities flowing from the report.
Professor Manderson said 365 people participated in the study. They were interviewed at Cairns, Bamaga, Umagico, Injinoo, Seisia, Cloncurry, Thursday Island, New Mapoon, Mt Isa, Townsville, Toowoomba, Cherbourg, Roma, and the Brisbane region, including Stradbroke Island.
Tomorrow's launch will be followed by the two-and-a-half day Partnerships in Women's Health workshop, involving indigenous women health workers and other community women.
The workshop is a collaboration between indigenous women, Queensland Health and the University's Australian Centre for International and Tropical Health and Nutrition.
It will explore further notions of partnership to improve the quality of health care and women's use of health services and treatments, reduce the risk of serious disease and death from cancer, and to improve the health status of indigenous women.
For further information, contact Professor Manderson, telephone: 07 3365 5396, e-mail: l.manderson@mailbox.uq.edu.au or the director of the Women's Cancer Screening Services, Queensland Health, Jennifer Muller, telephone 07 3234 0905.
