Background
Later cancer diagnosis is associated with poor survival for many common cancers. Migrants diagnosed with cancer in Australia often have poorer outcomes than comparable non-migrant groups and they also tend to present with more advanced disease. Although the impact of culturally specific beliefs on the uptake of cancer screening in Australia has been explored, there little research exploring how these beliefs affect symptom appraisal and help-seeking in specific cultural groups.
Aims
The aim of this study is to identify factors contributing to later presentation to health care professionals by people of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds who have had a recent diagnosis of colorectal, breast or lung cancer.
Methods
This mixed methods study, informed by the ‘Model of Pathways to Treatment’, is exploring the participant’s symptom appraisal, help-seeking and diagnostic pathways. Vietnamese and Non-CALD participants (as a comparator group) are being purposively sampled. Data are being gathered via bi-lingual researchers or interpreters through individual in-depth interviews and validated, translated symptom questionnaires. Medical record audits are confirming key dates along the participant’s diagnostic pathway.
Findings
Recruitment is ongoing and data is being analysed concurrently with data collection. Patient factors influencing symptom appraisal and help-seeking in people from Vietnamese backgrounds have been identified and include low health literacy, poor symptom awareness and fatalism.
Conclusions and implications
There are similarities with the Non-CALD participants, however, fatalistic beliefs were found to be more common in the Vietnamese participants. The findings from this research will inform the development, implementation and evaluation of culturally specific community interventions which will be implemented, with the aim to address factors contributing to later diagnosis of cancer Vietnamese communities.