Indigenous people have a far lower cancer survival rate than other Australians, a new study from Cancer Council Queensland (CCQ) has found.
The study examined national cancer survival statistics with the Menzies School of Health Research and Charles Darwin University.
It found the death rate for all cancers in 2006/2007 was 26 per cent high in Indigenous Queenslanders than in non-Indigenous people.
It also found that Aboriginal people who lived in remote areas or who were young were most at risk.
The findings showed the disparity in survival rates between Aboriginal Australians and non-Indigenous people was greatest immediately after diagnosis.
CCQ spokeswoman Katie Clift said that gap must be addressed.
“Cancer survival across the board is lower for Indigenous than non-Indigenous Australians for all cancers combined and for many specific types of cancer,” Ms Clift said.
She said the reasons for this were varied, and included social, educational, economic and environmental factors.
“What we do know from the study is that Indigenous Australians are far more likely to be diagnosed with advanced cancer,” she said.
“They’ve got poor prospects for effective treatment and survival and often they’re less likely to complete their treatment.
“Death rates for Indigenous Australians from this study were actually about 65 per cent higher in very remote areas compared to major cities, so there’s a range of issues at play here.”
She said urgent intervention was needed to improve cancer diagnosis, treatment and support services for Indigenous communities.
“This is a very complex issue,” she said.
“Healthcare potentially does need to be improved, but also the education that’s being delivered to these communities.
“We know that a lot of Indigenous communities aren’t aware of the risks of cancer, how to reduce their risk in the first place.
“A lot of these communities, especially in those remote areas don’t know a lot about cancer at all.
“Narrowing it down even further, what we also found is that the disparity in survival rates was the greatest immediately after diagnosis.
“It was greatest for remote residents compared to metropolitan and then greater for younger than older people, so it’s a bit surprising in that sense as well.
“But it also narrows it down in terms of us being able to address those different age groups in Indigenous communities too.”