We want to understand how healthcare providers recognize and respond to people affected by cancer who experience health and social inequities. We are actively recruiting healthcare providers to participate in one in-person or virtual interview lasting 30-60 minutes and to complete a short online demographic survey. This survey can also be completed verbal ahead of your interview. If you are (1) a physician, nurse, allied health professional, or other clinical staff member working in British Columbia, and (2) working with people affected by cancer– we want to connect with you!
If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact Parneet Sekhon at Parneet.Sekhon@bccancer.bc.ca.
Study Background & Rationale:
Current estimates suggest that one half of all Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and one in every four will die of their disease1. However, the burden of cancer is not evenly distributed throughout the Canadian population. Unacceptable disparities have been documented across the cancer care trajectory in Canada, often occurring among people who experience major health and social inequities resulting from a constellation of socioeconomic, demographic, geographic, historical, and structural factors—otherwise known as the Social Determinants of Health.
In the context of cancer care, we define health and social inequities as unjust, avoidable and socially constructed differences in cancer-related health and social outcomes between and within groups of people2-3. Research indicates that groups who experience health and social inequities are significantly more likely to be diagnosed with cancers that are preventable; to be diagnosed with late-stage disease for screening-detectable cancers; to receive insufficient treatment for their disease; to die from cancers that are typically curable; and to receive insufficient pain and symptom management across the cancer care trajectory4-5. While these outcomes are paid increasing attention in the Canadian oncology literature, very little is known about how healthcare providers (HCPs) in oncology settings identify people affected by cancer who may have lived/living experience of health and social inequities.
Aim and research questions:
As part of a larger program of research being conducted by the Cancer Health Equity Collaborative, the purpose of this study is to: (1) understand how oncology HCPs identify people affected by cancer who have lived/living experience of health and social inequities, and (2) understand what oncology HCPs do with that information.
The findings of this qualitative, interpretive description study will support the design and implementation of equity-oriented service delivery at BC Cancer—the comprehensive cancer control program for the province of British Columbia (BC).
Methods:
This qualitative study is guided by the analytic direction of Interpretive Description. This inductive approach is designed to create experiential evidence that offers practical solutions to problems encountered by health professionals in their practice settings. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with HCP participants from different professional backgrounds and different cancer care settings across BC.
Study Team
Footnotes
1. Canadian Cancer Statistics Advisory Committee. (2019). Canadian Cancer Statistics 2019. Toronto, ON. Retrieved from www.cancer.ca/Canadian-Cancer-Statistics-2019-EN
2. Braveman, P., & Gruskin, S. (2003). Defining equity in health. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, 57(4), 254–258. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.57.4.254
3. EQUIP Health Care. (2017). What is health equity: A tool for health & social service organizations and providers. Vancouver, BC. Retrieved from www.equiphealthcare.ca
4. Trans-HHS Cancer Health Disparities Progress Review Group. (2004). Making cancer health disparities history. Submitted to the Secretary, U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, March 2004. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services.
5. Canadian Partnership Against Cancer (2014). Examining disparities in cancer control: A system performance special focus report. Toronto, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. Retrieved from https://s22457.pcdn.co/wpcontent/ uploads/2019/01/Examining-disparities-in-cancer-control-EN.pdf