Oral Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2021

Perspectives of health professionals and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on a potential lung cancer screening program in Australia  (#148)

Vivienne Milch 1 , Jacinta Elston 2 , Tom Calma 3 , Yatu Widders Hunt 4 , Tiernan Campbell-O'Brien 5 , Caroline Nehill 1 , Kerri Lucas 1 , Cleola Anderiesz 1 5 , Anna Boltong 1 , Dorothy Keefe 1
  1. Cancer Australia, Surry Hills, NSW, Australia
  2. Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
  3. National Coordinator, Tackling Indigenous Smoking,
  4. Cox Inall Ridgeway, Millers Point, NSW, Australia
  5. Centre for Health Policy, Melbourne School of Population & Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Aim

There is a significant gap in evidence about engagement and consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people regarding lung cancer screening (LCS). To better understand the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Cancer Australia undertook engagement with a cross-section of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous health professionals who work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, as part of the LCS enquiry in 2019-20.

Method

A multifaceted consultation strategy to explore perspectives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people on LCS, developed in partnership with Cancer Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group on Cancer Control and Indigenous contractors, enabled engagement in a fulsome and culturally sensitive way across urban, regional and remote areas of Australia. Multiple data collection approaches included: qualitative methods via face-to-face workshops, semi-structured interviews and online public consultation hub; and quantitative data collected via online surveys.

Results

In total, 160 people and organisations participated across workshops (n=27), semi-structured interviews, online community survey (n=102), and online consultation hub submissions (n=31).

Both community members and health professionals affirmed strong concern about the impact of lung cancer on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and benefits of early detection to improve lung cancer outcomes. Key themes identified for implementation of a potential LCS program included the need to apply co-design principles to program design and governance structures; use of culturally sensitive communication; embedding Indigenous-driven research and consideration of data sovereignty; addressing equity of access issues; and incorporating learnings from other population cancer screening programs.

Conclusion

True engagement, building trust and rapport with Aboriginal and Torres Strait people, utilising a multipronged consultation strategy, yielded rich information about attitudes and perspectives on LCS, essential to ensure successful engagement, recruitment and retention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a LCS program.