糖心Vlog

Lung cancer

The Lung Cancer Research team works to improve early detection, treatment, and equity鈥攑artnering with communities to reduce the impact of lung cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Overall lung cancer survival in NZ is poor especially for M膩ori. This is because lung cancer is typically diagnosed at a late stage once a patient has presented with symptoms. The reasons for late diagnosis can be due to both patient and health system factors. Both need to be addressed in order to improve survival.

H膩 Ora 鈥� Improving early diagnosis of lung cancer for M膩ori and rural communities

This study was conducted over three years in the Midland Cancer Region which comprises Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti DHBs and our research into the late diagnosis of lung cancer among M膩ori communities identified several barriers preventing M膩ori from accessing primary care.

Findings of the project highlight:

  1. Barriers in primary care, including symptom ambiguity, accumulating costs, barriers and enablers relating to GP 鈥� patient relationships.
  2. Barriers in secondary care, including a lack of access to diagnostic tests, long waiting times, barriers and enablers relating to communication between HCPs and patients
  3. The importance of wh膩nau as carers and advocates for M膩ori patients on their lung cancer journey.

Our hypothesis is that a multi-pronged, community designed intervention will improve early detection and diagnosis for M膩ori with symptoms of lung cancer.  Our aim was to understand the barriers to early diagnosis of M膩ori at risk of lung cancer.

Through a series of community-based co-design processes with four localities (艑p艒tiki, Gisborne, Rotorua and Te Kuiti), we designed and implemented interventions to improve early presentation and diagnosis of at risk M膩ori.

Download and read the final H膩 Ora: Improving access to early diagnosis of lung cancer for M膩ori and rural communities report.

Co-designed interventions

The H膩 Ora: Let鈥檚 talk lung health website (currently unavailable), to improve awareness of lung-related ailments and provide information on local community support services.

A Pou Pupuru Oranga/Cancer navigator, to provide support and advocate for wh膩nau diagnosed with lung cancer, and to help them navigate the cancer care pathway.

A kaiawhina training programme, involving upskilling kaiawhina and clinical staff through a series of workshops discussing lung cancer symptoms, diagnostic and treatment pathways.

A series of lung cancer awareness videos, featuring a community-composed waiata encouraging wh膩nau to go and see a doctor if they have a persistent cough

Project partners

This research was funded by the Health Research Council, and conducted in partnership with:

  • Auckland University of Technology (AUT)
  • Centre for Health
  • Lakes District Health Board (DHB)
  • Waikato DHB.

Special mention goes to our M膩ori health care partners:

  • Te Puna Oranga
  • Waikato DHB
  • Whakat艒hea M膩ori Trust Board in Op艒tiki
  • Turanga Health in Gisborne
  • Ng膩ti Maniapoto Marae Pact Trust
  • Maniapoto Wh膩nau Ora Centre in Te Kuiti
  • Aroha Mai Cancer Support Services
  • Te Arawa Wh膩nau Ora in Rotorua.

Recent publications

  1. . Kidd, J., Cassim, S., Rolleston, A., Keenan, R., Lawrenson, R., Sheridan, N., Warbrick, I., Ngaheu, J. & Hokowhitu, B. (2021). International Journal of Indigenous Health, 16(2). DOI: doi.org/10.32799/ijih.v16i2.33106
  2. . Cassim, S., Lawrenson, R., Keenan, R., Middleton, K., Rolleston, A.,鈥idd, J. (2021). Journal of Medical Ethics. DOI: doi.org/10.1136/medethics-2020-106916
  3. . Kidd, J., Cassim, S., Rolleston, A., Chepulis, L., Hokowhitu, B.,鈥�. Lawrenson, R. (2021). BMC Cancer, 21. DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s12885-021-07862-0
  4. . Cassim, S., Kidd, J., Rolleston, A., Keenan, R., Aitken, D.,..Lawrenson, R. (2020). European Journal of Cancer Care. DOI: 10.1111/ecc.13380
  5. . Rolleston, A., Cassim, S., Kidd, J., Lawrenson, R., Keenan, R. & Hokowhitu, B. (2020). AlterNative. DOI: 10.1177/1177180120919166
  6. Lawrenson, R., Lao, C., Brown, L. et al. (2020). BMC Cancer, 20, 109. DOI: doi.org/10.1186/s12885-020-6580-6
  7. . Kidd, J., Cassim, S., Rolleston, A. & Keenan, R. (2019). Ethnographic Edge 3(1). DOI: doi.org/10.15663/tee.v3i1.52
  8. . Cassim, S., Chepulis, L., Keenan, R., Kidd, J., Firth, M. & Lawrenson, R. (2019). BMC Cancer 19(1), 25. DOI: 10.1186/s12885-018-5169-9.
  9. . Chepulis, L, Ryan, B, Blackmore, T, Burrett, V, McCleery, J, Lawrenson, R. (2019)  Psycho-Oncology, 28, 1588-1590. DOI: doi.org/10.1002/pon.5137
  10. . Lawrenson, R., Lao, C., Leonie, B., Wong, J., Middleton, K., Firth, M. & Aitken, D. (2018). NZMJ, 131(1479). PMID: 30048429

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