A new report has highlighted areas the state’s cancer care system can work on as it strives for gender equity in cancer care.
Women’s Health Victoria, along with leading partners from the Victorian cancer service, have released a new report highlighting gender-specific gaps in cancer care throughout the state.
The report, Towards gender equity in cancer care: Findings and recommendations for the Victorian cancer system, was released last week and identified six key insights where the state’s cancer system could be improved to ensure more equitable care for the patients it treats.
“These insights describe a cancer care system that is often clinically competent but not consistently designed to be responsive to the gendered experiences of cancer and cancer care, and as a result can lead to inequitable health outcomes,” the report read.
A key finding from the report was that cancer care should address the impact of gendered and other intersecting inequalities so that women and trans and gender-diverse people can safely access cancer care services.
“Structural gendered inequities, particularly the ongoing and compounding impact of gender bias disproportionately experienced by women and trans and gender-diverse people, mean that there is a need for cancer care to incorporate emotional and psychological safety practices to ensure patients feel and are safe when accessing services,” the report read.
Similarly, the report also identified that at present, cancer care services do not offer enough support to women and trans and gender-diverse individuals to navigate treatment-related changes in ways that affirm their identity and protect their overall wellbeing.
“Women and trans and gender-diverse people with cancer can experience significant impacts on body image, confidence, intimacy, and sense of self. These challenges are not consistently addressed as part of routine cancer care, with limited preparation before treatment and minimal follow-up support beyond active treatment. These impacts are often further exacerbated by cancer care that is not gender-affirming,” it stated.
In addition, where patients live and receive treatment amplifies these gender inequities, making it even harder for women and trans and gender-diverse people to access timely, affordable, and quality cancer care if they live in rural and/or regional areas.
“Gendered inequities intersect with geographic location to increase barriers to accessing appropriate cancer care for women and trans and gender-diverse people in regional and rural areas. Issues faced include limited availability of local care that meets gendered needs, and additional challenges travelling to access services due to caring responsibilities and financial pressures associated with a higher prevalence of insecure work and lower savings among women,” the report reads.
The remaining insights from the report are:
- The current cancer pathways do not consider the “hidden burden” placed on patients trying to receive cancer care while also serving as the primary caregiver for dependents.
- Medically induced menopause and the impact of cancer treatment on fertility are not appropriately addressed during cancer care.
- There is a major need to build workforce understanding of and the ability to deliver gender-responsive care.
Sally Hasler, CEO of Women’s Health Victoria, said the findings were not a surprise.
“We listened to more than 100 women and trans and gender diverse people to understand their experiences of cancer care in Victoria and the consistent response was that the system needs to recognise the whole person, not just their diagnosis.
“In particular, regional Victorians with cancer face additional challenges, including limited availability of services that consider gendered needs, additional travel challenges, and financial pressures.
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“We heard that the cancer system doesn’t recognise caring responsibilities or family needs which are often held by women, or the impacts on fertility, body image, and gender identity.”
Participants indicated they were not provided with sufficient information and preparation about the long-term impacts of cancer treatment on medically induced menopause and fertility, as well as the physical and psychological impacts of their treatment, according to Ms Hasler.
“At the same time, healthcare workers told us they had limited training, guidance, time, and resources to provide gender-responsive and inclusive cancer care and they are highly motivated to do better by patients and patients’ families,” she said.
Dr Son Vivienne, CEO of Transgender Victoria, said the state’s health services needed to understand and accommodate the diverse spectrum of patients they treat, regardless of their sex, gender, race, language, location, or economic status.
“Affirming all aspects of a person’s identity, including their heart and soul, is crucial for recovery and wellbeing,” Dr Vivienne told media.
The project was funded by the Victorian government, and involved an expert advisory group comprised of people with lived experience of cancer. Women’s Health Victoria collaborated with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Royal Women’s Hospital, Transgender Victoria, and the Barwon South West and Gippsland Regional Integrated Cancer Services for the purpose.
The Towards gender equity in cancer care report is available via the Women’s Health Victoria website.
