Cancer concerns

THIS week’s news that a number of barriers are leading to Asian women presenting with breast cancer symptoms later than their white peers further highlights health inequalities within the NHS.

A month after a report claimed NHS dementia care is ‘designed for white people and discriminates against south Asians’, a study by Breast Cancer Now found that Asian women are facing issues such as language barriers, lack of access to relevant information and myths and misconceptions around diagnosis and treatment. Health authorities need to provide a culturally appropriate service that tackles current obstacles that are putting lives at risk.

Having material available in different language can be an effective first step. Nurses, doctors and consultants need training on cultural sensitivities and also understand that some Asian women may not speak English as their first language, or that they will be reluctant to be examined by male healthcare professionals.

Asian women also need to have confidence that the NHS will support them and that, for example, if they go for a mammogram, they can be seen by a female nurse or doctor.

GP surgeries are often the first point of contact and health authorities need to implement strategies to support Asian women. One GP revealed that one-third of her Asian patients over the age of 50 don’t go for breast cancer screenings.

There also needs to be Asian representation in breast cancer campaigns. As one patient said, how are Asian women meant to know they too can get breast cancer if they don’t see them being represented in advertising campaigns?

The pandemic exposed long-standing health inequalities in the country and unless there is real change implemented now, these inequalities will continue to grow and cost lives.