2024-2029 Programs
New multi-site study
A new multi-site study, ADVANCE and DELIVER ACCESS, involves Austin Health, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Western Health and Northern Health developing interventions to improve access to symptom support services for culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) patients, including from Vietnamese, Mandarin, Greek and Arabic speaking communities. The project builds on the findings of the CLEAR-ACCESS project in the alliance’s previous funded program of work, led by Dr Alesha Thai from Peter Mac.
Using experience-based co-design methodology in partnership with patients, carers, healthcare professionals and community representatives, the new study aims to design, implement, and evaluate interventions that are equitable and culturally safe.
Increasing cancer trial participant numbers from CALD communities
The primary objective of the University of Melbourne’s Cassowary-CALD project, led by Dr Janelle Jones and Prof Jon Emery’s team, is to understand how to successfully adapt general practice-based cancer trials to enable and increase participation by CALD populations. This project will be working in conjunction with the multi-cancer risk assessment Cassowary trial provide evidence-based strategies to reduce barriers to CALD participation.
Nursing Equity Assessment Tool – NEAT-CARE
A nursing complexity checklist - the Nursing Equity Assessment Tool (NEAT-CARE) - has been developed to support rapid identification of people at risk of poorer cancer outcomes, enabling timely support and intervention. Data from a preliminary study undertaken with 37 patients and seven specialist cancer nurses at a metropolitan cancer centre showed that participants considered the tool highly acceptable and appropriate, with potential to improve patient outcomes.
However, these data were generated in a high resource, specialist cancer centre, and predominantly with white European Australians, with English as their first language. A new study, led by Prof Mei Krishnasamy, University of Melbourne, sets out to test clinical utility of the NEAT tool across a range of healthcare settings. A study is also underway to assess NEAT with people from CALD backgrounds. Over time, data could contribute to a comprehensive standardised data set, allowing the consideration of cancer outcomes by the presence or absence of social determinants of health.
Health Research for All
While research enables the development of cutting-edge treatments and informs the design and delivery of healthcare services, many are not inclusive of all in the community. Dr Helene Kammoun and her team at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute have been funded to design and deliver a collaborative and interactive online resource and training hub which will empower and equip cancer researchers with the tools required to embed inclusive practices in research designs.
The project, Health Research for All, aims to build research workforce capabilities, including cancer researchers, and embed inclusion practices within their research training. It will also foster community trust in the research sector, and inform inclusive health research in general, which over time will inform equitable healthcare.
