“It's Just Presence,” the Contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals in Cancer Care in Queensland
Objectives: The aim of this research was to explore health professionals' perspectives on the provision of follow-up cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in Queensland.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professi...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-12-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00344/full |
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| author | Audra de Witt Audra de Witt Audra de Witt Frances C. Cunningham Frances C. Cunningham Ross Bailie Nikki Percival Jon Adams Patricia C. Valery Patricia C. Valery Patricia C. Valery |
| author_facet | Audra de Witt Audra de Witt Audra de Witt Frances C. Cunningham Frances C. Cunningham Ross Bailie Nikki Percival Jon Adams Patricia C. Valery Patricia C. Valery Patricia C. Valery |
| author_sort | Audra de Witt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Objectives: The aim of this research was to explore health professionals' perspectives on the provision of follow-up cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in Queensland.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals who had experience providing care for Indigenous cancer patients in the primary health care and hospital setting.Results: Participants were recruited from six Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (n = 17) and from a tertiary hospital (n = 9) across urban, regional, and remote geographical settings. Culturally safe care, psychological support, determining patient needs, practical assistance, and advocating for Indigenous health were identified as enablers to support the needs of Indigenous patients when accessing cancer care, and Indigenous health professionals were identified as the key enabler.Conclusion: Indigenous health professionals significantly contribute to the provision of culturally competent follow-up cancer care by increasing the accessibility of follow-up cancer care services and by supporting the needs of Indigenous cancer patients. All health professionals need to work together and be sufficiently skilled in the delivery of culturally competent care to improve the Indigenous cancer journey and outcomes for Indigenous people. Effective organizational policies and practices are crucial to enable all health professionals to provide culturally competent and responsive cancer care to Indigenous Australians. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:39:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fbd950c7ed9749928977101b5187de6e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-2565 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T23:39:38Z |
| publishDate | 2018-12-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-fbd950c7ed9749928977101b5187de6e2022-12-22T03:56:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Public Health2296-25652018-12-01610.3389/fpubh.2018.00344419972“It's Just Presence,” the Contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals in Cancer Care in QueenslandAudra de Witt0Audra de Witt1Audra de Witt2Frances C. Cunningham3Frances C. Cunningham4Ross Bailie5Nikki Percival6Jon Adams7Patricia C. Valery8Patricia C. Valery9Patricia C. Valery10Menzies School of Health Research, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaDivision of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Centre for Primary Health Care Systems, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, AustraliaPopulation Health, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaMenzies School of Health Research, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaDivision of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Centre for Primary Health Care Systems, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, AustraliaUniversity Centre for Rural Health, University of Sydney, Lismore, NSW, AustraliaFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaMenzies School of Health Research, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaDivision of Epidemiology and Health Systems, Centre for Primary Health Care Systems, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, NT, AustraliaPopulation Health, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaObjectives: The aim of this research was to explore health professionals' perspectives on the provision of follow-up cancer care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients in Queensland.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals who had experience providing care for Indigenous cancer patients in the primary health care and hospital setting.Results: Participants were recruited from six Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (n = 17) and from a tertiary hospital (n = 9) across urban, regional, and remote geographical settings. Culturally safe care, psychological support, determining patient needs, practical assistance, and advocating for Indigenous health were identified as enablers to support the needs of Indigenous patients when accessing cancer care, and Indigenous health professionals were identified as the key enabler.Conclusion: Indigenous health professionals significantly contribute to the provision of culturally competent follow-up cancer care by increasing the accessibility of follow-up cancer care services and by supporting the needs of Indigenous cancer patients. All health professionals need to work together and be sufficiently skilled in the delivery of culturally competent care to improve the Indigenous cancer journey and outcomes for Indigenous people. Effective organizational policies and practices are crucial to enable all health professionals to provide culturally competent and responsive cancer care to Indigenous Australians.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00344/fullAboriginal and Torres Strait Islandershealth professionalsculturally competent carefollow-up cancer carequalitative methods |
| spellingShingle | Audra de Witt Audra de Witt Audra de Witt Frances C. Cunningham Frances C. Cunningham Ross Bailie Nikki Percival Jon Adams Patricia C. Valery Patricia C. Valery Patricia C. Valery “It's Just Presence,” the Contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals in Cancer Care in Queensland Frontiers in Public Health Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders health professionals culturally competent care follow-up cancer care qualitative methods |
| title | “It's Just Presence,” the Contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals in Cancer Care in Queensland |
| title_full | “It's Just Presence,” the Contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals in Cancer Care in Queensland |
| title_fullStr | “It's Just Presence,” the Contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals in Cancer Care in Queensland |
| title_full_unstemmed | “It's Just Presence,” the Contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals in Cancer Care in Queensland |
| title_short | “It's Just Presence,” the Contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals in Cancer Care in Queensland |
| title_sort | it s just presence the contributions of aboriginal and torres strait islander health professionals in cancer care in queensland |
| topic | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders health professionals culturally competent care follow-up cancer care qualitative methods |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00344/full |
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