Meiklejohn Judith A, Arley Brian, Bailie Ross, Adams Jon, Garvey Gail, Martin Jennifer H, Walpole Euan T, Valery Patricia C
QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Locked Bag 2000, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Qld 4006, Australia.
Menzies School of Health Research, Level 1, 147 Wharf Street, Spring Hill, Qld 4000, Australia.
Aust J Prim Health. 2018 Jul;24(3):233-240. doi: 10.1071/PY17127.
Indigenous Australians diagnosed with cancer experience higher mortality and lower survival rates compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Reasons are multifaceted and complex. Knowledge about Indigenous cancer survivors' perspectives of positive cancer survivorship is a gap in research evidence. The study explored cancer survivorship perspectives of Indigenous cancer survivors, their support people and healthcare workers with a view to developing recommendations for cancer survivorship. Indigenous Australians who completed cancer treatment in the previous 6 months to 5 years, their support people and primary healthcare workers were recruited from primary healthcare centres and a large tertiary Queensland hospital. Semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with written and informed consent obtained prior. Participants emphasised key action areas and recommendations to enhance cancer survivorship, namely: establishing a community cancer advocate and peer support program, availability and use of a cancer-specific Indigenous primary healthcare worker and hospital-based Indigenous patient navigator, as well as adoption of question prompt lists and cancer survivorship care plans. Existing research suggests significant benefits from implementing the key recommendations identified in this study. Greater support and commitment across health sectors and funding bodies is needed to promote institutional change and health system development.
与非澳大利亚原住民相比，被诊断患有癌症的澳大利亚原住民死亡率更高，生存率更低。原因是多方面且复杂的。关于澳大利亚原住民癌症幸存者对积极癌症生存体验的看法，这方面的研究证据存在空白。该研究探讨了澳大利亚原住民癌症幸存者、他们的支持人员以及医护人员对癌症生存的看法，以期为癌症生存制定建议。在过去6个月至5年内完成癌症治疗的澳大利亚原住民、他们的支持人员以及基层医护人员，是从基层医疗中心和昆士兰州一家大型三级医院招募的。在事先获得书面知情同意后，进行了半结构化访谈和焦点小组讨论。参与者强调了加强癌症生存的关键行动领域和建议，即：建立一个社区癌症倡导者和同伴支持项目、配备并利用一名专门针对癌症的澳大利亚原住民基层医护人员以及医院的原住民患者导航员，以及采用问题提示清单和癌症生存护理计划。现有研究表明，实施本研究确定的关键建议会带来显著益处。需要卫生部门和资助机构给予更大的支持和承诺，以推动机构变革和卫生系统发展。
