IMPROVE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT THROUGH HEALTH SERVICE INNOVATION
Research Theme 2
Theme Leaders: Dr Kalinda Griffiths and A/Prof Siddhartha Baxi
Providing improved resources to assist health literacy and communication with health professionals, enhancing coordination of care, and gaining an understanding of treatment adherence are critical steps in improving outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients after a diagnosis of cancer.
Furthermore, an understanding of the current inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer patients in clinical trials is critical; this information can be used to design and pilot strategies to enhance Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients’ access to, and inclusion in, clinical trials in the future.
These projects have contributed to the evidence-base to address these gaps.
PROJECTS
-
This is a current project.
Aim
This project will investigate the feasibility and acceptability of innovative, culturally-appropriate resources for Indigenous cancer patients, their carers and health professionals to improve cancer support, communication and education. A key focus of this project is the development of an Indigenous Radiation Therapy Talking Book (IRTB) to help facilitate communication between health professionals, carers and patients. This resource will assist patients’ understanding of external beam radiation therapy, reduce patient anxiety, strengthen treatment compliance and completion and improve the overall patient-experience.
Outcomes
This will be the first health literacy intervention research among Indigenous cancer patients. The IRTB will provide Indigenous patients with a culturally appropriate and informative tool that they can share with their family. We will strive to translate the IRTB into clinical practice thus establishing a new standard of information provision. The cost-consequence analysis will estimate the health system costs of implementing the IRTB nationally.
Investigators
Prof Gail Garvey (The University of Queensland), Prof Joan Cunningham (Menzies School of Health Research), A/Prof Haryana Dhillon (University of Sydney), A/Prof Michael Penniment (Royal Adelaide Hospital), Prof Sabe Sabesan (James Cook University), A/Prof Georgia Halkett (Curtin University), A/Prof Siddhartha Baxi (Genesis Cancer Care), and Mr Jim Frantzis (ICON Cancer Care).
Contact
Ms Lara Stoll
Project Manager, The University of Queensland
-
This is a current project.
Aim
Conducted in conjunction with the 4Cs Project, this project involves adapting an existing surgical and medical oncology Question Prompt List for use by Indigenous cancer patients. The Indigenous Question Prompt List (IQPL) will assist patients and their carers to know what questions to ask in order to get information that they need from their doctors and health care team.
Outcomes
This project will develop a culturally appropriate resource that will improve communication between health professionals and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cancer patients and their families and increase participation in oncology consultations.
Investigators
Prof Gail Garvey (The University of Queensland), Prof Joan Cunningham (Menzies School of Health Research), A/Prof Haryana Dhillon (University of Sydney), A/Prof Michael Penniment (Royal Adelaide Hospital), Prof Sabe Sabesan (James Cook University), A/Prof Georgia Halkett (Curtin University), A/Prof Siddhartha Baxi (Genesis Cancer Care), and Mr Jim Frantzis (ICON Cancer Care).
Contact
Ms Lara Stoll
Project Manager at The University of Queensland
-
This is a completed project.
This project proposed to evaluate the implementation of selected tumour Optimal Care Pathways (OCPs) and culturally safe and competent care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
We conducted Targeted consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to inform the development of the National Pancreatic Cancer Roadmap, which has now been released by Cancer Australia.
Read more about the Roadmap here.
-
This is a current project.
The project will use population based data linkage to create a dataset of approximately 26,000 individuals who were diagnosed with cancer between 2012 and 2018 in Queensland.
Aim
The project aims to assess aspects of patterns of care, including the following:
Endocrine therapy use amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians with breast cancer
Differences in overall radiation therapy and surgical treatments between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and other Australians with cancer
Health service use patterns and costs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men with prostate cancer
Patterns of care and health service costs for adolescent and young adult cancer survivors in Queensland
Utilisation of Medicare Chronic Disease Management item numbers for cancer survivors in Queensland
Prevalence and associated service use and costs associated with adverse cardiovascular events after cancer for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Queenslanders.
Outcomes
The findings of this project will be used to inform health policy and delivery to better provide care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer.
Investigators
Prof Gail Garvey, Dr Daniel Lindsay, Abbey Diaz (The University of Queensland), A/Prof Emily Callander (UTS), Prof Joan Cunningham (Menzies School of Health Research). Prof Siddhartha Baxi (GenesisCare) will join the investigator team for the radiation therapy component of the project.
Contact
Dr Shafkat Jahan
Research Fellow at The University of Queensland
-
This is a completed project.
Aim
Little is known about participation in clinical trials by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with cancer. As a first step in understanding potential systematic barriers to participation, we analysed publicly available information from the Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry about cancer treatment trials in Australia in 2014-2018. Key areas of focus were inclusion and exclusion criteria (e.g. relating to comorbidities, smoking and language), the location of trials, and the types of cancer studied.
Outcomes
Results were presented at the World Indigenous Cancer Conference and a manuscript has just been accepted in the Australian & New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
Investigators
Prof Joan Cunningham (Menzies School of Health Research) and Prof Gail Garvey (The University of Queensland).
Contact
Prof Joan Cunningham
Senior Principal Research Fellow at Menzies School of Health Research
-
This is a completed project.
Aim
This Desktop Review was commissioned by the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) to inform the work of the ‘Improving Cancer Outcomes for Victorian Aboriginal Communities’ Working Group.
Outcomes
The review identified and critically analysed the existing evidence and knowledge in three priority areas relevant to improving cancer outcomes for Victorian Aboriginal Communities: 1) participation in clinical trials and research; 2) culturally safe and effective cancer treatment; and 3) self-identification and data quality. Gaps in the literature were also identified, and potential next steps highlighted in the report presented to VACCHO.
Investigators
Prof Joan Cunningham (Menzies School of Health Research) and Prof Gail Garvey (The University of Queensland)
Contact
Prof Joan Cunningham
Senior Principal Research Fellow at Menzies School of Health Research
-
This is a current project.
Aim
This project aims to implement a First Nations Cancer Nurse Navigator in metropolitan and regional Queensland cancer centres with the overall objective to cancer outcomes for First Nations people through improved access to and engagement with culturally-responsive cancer services.
Investigators
Prof Gail Garvey (The University of Queensland), Dr Bena Brown, Debra Pauza, Ms Leanne Stone, Dr Doreen Tapsall, Dr Lisa Capelle, Ms Jennifer Faulkner, Mr Kristoffer Johnstone, A/Prof Glen Kennedy, Ms Aniko Cooper (Queensland Health), Prof Ray Chan (Flinders University).
Contact
Ms Lara Stoll
Principal Research Project Officer at The University of Queensland
-
This is a completed TACTICS-funded pilot study.
This pilot study is designed to investigate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women’s healthcare pathways from cervical cancer diagnosis to their survival outcome. The data in this area is greatly lacking, may take years to access and we need evidence now to identify specific equity questions.
Approach
A retrospective analysis of linked cervical cancer data that has been extracted from the WA Cancer Registry, Hospital Morbidity Data Collection and Death Registrations. The study cohort is all women diagnosed with cervical cancer in WA from 1982-2015, an estimated 2000 women.
Outcomes
Findings from this pilot will enable the development of future research initiatives (including what datasets or combination of datasets are useful to answer these questions).
Contact
A/Prof Lisa Whop
Senior Research Fellow at the Australian National University