Australia has a very culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) population. According to the 2021 Census, 48% of the Australian population had a parent born overseas, 27% were born overseas, and 22.3% speak a language other than English at home. Cancer outcomes in the Australian general population have greatly improved in recent decades. However, people from CALD backgrounds, broadly defined as those born in a non-English speaking country or who speak a language other than English at home, experience disparities in cancer mortality and morbidity.
This presentation will highlight inequities across the cancer care continuum, from cancer prevention and screening through to survivorship and end-of-life care. For instance, people from CALD backgrounds are less likely to: participate in breast and cervical cancer screening, be represented in cancer clinical trials, and to have important cultural considerations for end-of life care acknowledged or documented. Furthermore, CALD cancer patients are more likely to experience longer lung cancer diagnostic intervals, present with advanced disease and have poorer psychological wellbeing and health-related quality of life.
Factors underlying disparities in cancer care and outcomes for people from CALD backgrounds will be explored. Poorer outcomes for CALD patients are related to factors including: difficulties understanding and navigating the healthcare system and communicating with the healthcare team and lack of in-language resources for both cancer patients and caregivers. Urgent action addressing these issues is needed to address disparities in cancer care and outcomes for people from CALD backgrounds. Ongoing efforts to improve the equity of cancer treatment and survivorship care will be explored later in the conference.