The fresh screening program in the field of lung cancer has chosen simplicity and we are worried

Australia Lung cancer screening program It was launched on July 1 and means real progress and possibilities.

It aims to reduce the number of people dying due to lung cancer by offering regular Low CT scans to smokers and those who gave up. The goal is to detect and treat cancer early before its spread.

But the program design can also adversely limit the peoples of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander, which are disproportionately affected by lung cancer.

Thus, the first fresh screening program in Australia has been risking for almost 20 years that health inequalities instead of health inequalities than turning to them.

Lung cancer is a special burden

Lung cancer is the most Common and The main cause of cancer death for Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander.

Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander Peoples are 2.1 times more likely that lung cancer has been diagnosed, and 1.8 times likely to die of it, compared to Australians who are not indigenous.

People’s peoples of Aborigens and Torres are also more likely that lung cancer has been diagnosed in younger age than Australians non-leders.

The key is to understand the wider context of the risk of lung cancer among Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander.

Aborigines and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Paid in tobacco rations Instead of earning until the 1960s, excluded from economic systems and health, and directed to the marketing of tobacco industry.

Conducted by native tobacco and smoking programs such as Fighting with native smoking The program made significant progress in Reduction of smoking indicators. The native communities are conducting resistance against The tobacco industry is harmful.

However, aborigen peoples and Torres Strait Islander have the main barriers for screening for lung cancer. This is especially in rural and distant areas, on which access to GPS, radiology and secure cultural care services is limited.

Screening in the direction of lung cancer should include this

Initially, the screening program in the field of lung cancer was designed with Lower screening age In the case of the Aboriginal population and Torres Strait Islander-50 years compared to 55 years for non-family Australians. This made sense in the face of earlier and higher risk of lung cancer.

However, the Advisory Committee for Medical Services, the authority responsible for assessing applications for public financing, he removed this distinction based on risk. Now is the overall qualification age of 50-70 years.

It is a transition from justice (honesty) to equality (similarity). In health, the treatment of everyone equally deepens unevenness.

However, many public health programs strive for justice and reflect the different needs of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander. For example, Heart health controls AND Many vaccines Aboriginal people are offered to people and Torres Strait Islander at a younger age.

There are also consequences of lowering the age of screening for non -family Australians from 55 (as originally intended) to 50. Cancer Australia’s’ report He warned that this would not provide a favorable balance of benefits and damage, nor would it be profitable.

In this lower risk population, this may enhance the likelihood of detecting snail-paced lung nodules that are unlikely. This can lead to unnecessary tests and procedures, anxiety, mental stress, excessive treatment and even damage.

While Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander may also experience these potential damage, a higher risk of lung cancer previously means a potential benefit from early detection prevails over this risk.

Let’s call it what it is – structural racism

Thus, the current eligibility criteria enhance the eligibility to lower risk groups. However, it ignores a higher risk and cumulative influence of distance, constrained access to health services and other health conditions and other health conditions and other health conditions.

This decision significantly increases the number of people gaining access to the program. Although this may seem equal on the surface, it risks the wrong allocation of constrained resources of the healthcare system, especially in the already filled healthcare system.

This is a clear example of structural racism – when a policy that seems neutral, they actually maintain long -lasting unevenness and strengthen flaws.

This is similar to the fears raised in the United States. There, screening guidelines have been criticized for not taking into account higher lung cancer indicators in African American.

What should we do next?

If we seriously think about commitment to justice in cancer results – as described in Australian Cancer Plan AND Aboriginal cancer plan and Torres of the Islands – We must ensure that screening rules are not accidentally expanding unevenness.

We must visit again who is entitled to screening and the method of determining qualifications. This may mean not only considering age and history of smoking, but also other factors, such as family history of cancer.

This may also mean predicting the risk of lung cancer with models such as PLCC2012 Risk forecasting model. However, this particular model was not approved in the aborigen peoples and Torres Strait Islander, which must be a priority.

Instead, the Advisory Committee for Medical Services prioritized the same age of screening for everyone – administrative simplicity over this more sensitive way risk assessment.

We must prioritize the Aboriginal population and Torres Strait Islander on reviewing waiting and observation lists, and strengthen the cultural security of services.

We must ensure solid data collection and reporting to assess the screening program. The assessment must assess whether the program provides fair access and results, as well as ensure effectiveness, safety and costs.

All these actions are necessary to deal with a greater burden of lung cancer among Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islander as well as maintaining justice and health rights over administrative simplicity.

---

This is the last article in our series “Finding Lung Cancer”, which is investigating the first fresh cancer screening program in Australia for almost 20 years. Read other articles in the series.

There is more information about the program availableIn this for People’s Aborigens and Torres. If you need support to quit smoking, see your doctor or call Quitline at 13 78 48.