Study to explore cancer from a First Nations perspective

Professor Ray Lovett. Photo: ANU - A new national study has launched to give Australians a better understanding of how First Nations people view and experience cancer. Kulay Kalingka - the first study of this kind in Australia - is led, designed and implemented by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander research team at the Australian National University (ANU), and funded by Cancer Australia. The research team will collect data for 22 cancer control indicators in First Nations people. These include their knowledge, attitudes and understanding of cancer, participation in health promotion and cancer screening programs. The study will also examine exposure to risk factors, and patient and carer experiences of cancer, including cancer treatment and participation in clinical trials. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continue to experience disparities in cancer outcomes when compared to non-Indigenous Australians, including higher incidence rates, and cancer mortality rates, and lower participation rates in bowel, breast, and cervical cancer population screening programs.