ArticleBMJ open2016
Factors contributing to delayed diagnosis of cancer among Aboriginal people in Australia: a qualitative study.
Article in BMJ open, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 45 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
45 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Experiences with diagnostic delay among underserved racial and ethnic patients: a systematic review of the qualitative literature.BMJ quality & safety · 2025Pooled it
- Systematic review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' experiences and supportive care needs associated with cancer.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- HPV vaccine: uptake and understanding among global Indigenous communities - a qualitative systematic review.BMC public health · 2021Pooled it
- Seldom heard voices: a meta-narrative systematic review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples healthcare experiences.International journal for equity in health · 2020Pooled it
- Patient Perspectives to Inform a Health Literacy Educational Program: A Systematic Review and Thematic Synthesis of Qualitative Studies.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019Pooled it
- Patient and carer perceived barriers to early presentation and diagnosis of lung cancer: a systematic review.BMC cancer · 2019Pooled it
- Evaluation of online cancer information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples: a systematic environmental scan.JNCI cancer spectrum · 2026Article
- A Review of Western Australian Researchers' Contributions to Understanding Cancer Prevention and Outcomes in Aboriginal People.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Review
- Disparities in Thoracic Oncology Patients.Cancers · 2026Review
- Scope and impact of a First Nations cancer coordinator role: perspectives of multidisciplinary cancer staff.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026Article
- Mental Health Training for Community Health Workers in Cancer Care: A Narrative Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Article
- Exploring the Costs of Hospital and Emergency Department Utilisation in the First Three Years After Diagnosis for Adults Diagnosed With Pancreatic Cancer in Queensland, Australia.Cancer medicine · 2025Article
- Patient perspectives.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2025Article
- Education of First Nations Australians about cancer-what evidence is there around its effectiveness? A narrative review.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2025Review
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and cancer: a narrative review of incidence, mortality, barriers to diagnosis and treatment, psychosocial needs and interventions.The Lancet regional health. Western Pacific · 2025Review
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices on the National Lung Cancer Screening Program: a qualitative study from Worimi and Awabakal country.The Medical journal of Australia · 2025Article
- Holding space: a participatory exploration of first nations health professionals' experiences supporting cancer patients through hospital-based treatment.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2025Article
- Identifying Rural Hotspots for Head and Neck Cancer Using the Bayesian Mapping Approach.Cancers · 2025Article
- A Qualitative Study of Aboriginal Peoples' Health Care Experiences With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.Qualitative health research · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
BACKGROUND/
objectivesDelayed presentation of symptomatic cancer is associated with poorer survival. Aboriginal patients with cancer have higher rates of distant metastases at diagnosis compared with non-Aboriginal Australians. This paper examined factors contributing to delayed diagnosis of cancer among Aboriginal Australians from patient and service providers' perspectives.
methodsIn-depth, open-ended interviews were conducted in two stages (2006-2007 and 2011). Inductive thematic analysis was assisted by use of NVivo looking around delays in presentation, diagnosis and referral for cancer.
participantsAboriginal patients with cancer/family members (n=30) and health service providers (n=62) were recruited from metropolitan Perth and six rural/remote regions of Western Australia.
resultsThree broad themes of factors were identified: (1) Contextual factors such as intergenerational impact of colonisation and racism and socioeconomic deprivation have negatively impacted on Aboriginal Australians' trust of the healthcare professionals; (2) health service-related factors included low accessibility to health services, long waiting periods, inadequate numbers of Aboriginal professionals and high staff turnover; (3) patient appraisal of symptoms and decision-making, fear of cancer and denial of symptoms were key reasons patients procrastinated in seeking help. Elements of shame, embarrassment, shyness of seeing the doctor, psychological 'fear of the whole health system', attachment to the land and 'fear of leaving home' for cancer treatment in metropolitan cities were other deterrents for Aboriginal people. Manifestation of masculinity and the belief that 'health is women's domain' emerged as a reason why Aboriginal men were reluctant to receive health checks.
conclusionsSolutions to improved Aboriginal cancer outcomes include focusing on the primary care sector encouraging general practitioners to be proactive to suspicion of symptoms with appropriate investigations to facilitate earlier diagnosis and the need to improve Aboriginal health literacy regarding cancer. Access to health services remains a critical problem affecting timely diagnosis.
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