{"id":11882,"date":"2022-08-31T09:46:29","date_gmt":"2022-08-31T08:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/?p=11882"},"modified":"2023-07-28T00:12:10","modified_gmt":"2023-07-27T23:12:10","slug":"cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/","title":{"rendered":"Cancer care for ethnic minorities- The Great Divide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cancer patients from ethnic minority communities face stark inequalities in medical care and treatment. What is alienating these communities from getting the care they need?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Shoaib beamed when he saw his wife with the tiffin. As a lung cancer patient admitted to the hospital for treatment, home-cooked food was one of the very few things that lifted his spirits. Ayesha opened the box to serve him his favourite <em>biryani<\/em>. She was not expecting a firm tap on her shoulder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cYou cannot have this food here,\u201d said the nurse. \u201cThe other patients find the smell annoying. Also, can you please speak in English and not in your native tongue?&nbsp; It is making the patient on the next bed uncomfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is an all-too-common experience for cancer patients from the South Asian community, according to Ali Orhan, the CEO of Cancer Equality, a platform to raise awareness about the health inequalities faced by minority ethnic communities in cancer treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt is ridiculous that your nutritional intake is dependent on someone else\u2019s preference for a certain smell,\u201d says Ali. \u201cAnd when you are dealing with an issue like cancer, with grave illness and mortality, you don\u2019t have the strength to protest. You are at the mercy of the system. You do as you are told.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"657\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-1024x657.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-1024x657.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-770x494.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-293x188.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338.jpg 1278w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"657\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-1024x657.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12473\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-1024x657.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-770x494.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338-293x188.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1406824338.jpg 1278w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">According to Ali, people don&#8217;t want to marry into families of cancer patients in many ethnic minority communities (Photograph: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/portfolio\/wutwhanfoto?mediatype=photography\">whutwhanfoto<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years, the National Cancer Patient experience survey has consistently shown lower scores in cancer care experience for people from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic groups as compared to white groups. A recent<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2022\/aug\/28\/black-asian-people-wait-longer-cancer-diagnosis-england-than-white-people\"> study <\/a>has also found that Black and Asian people have to wait longer for a cancer diagnosis compared to white people which affects their treatment options and odds of survival. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Ali, this can be due to multiple factors including a lack of understanding of diverse cultures, unconscious bias, or even active racial discrimination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIf you have a deep-rooted dislike or bias for a certain community, regardless of what you do, it will reflect in your work, it will manifest itself,\u201d says Ali. \u201cThose at the receiving end of discrimination experience it in all forms, be it the hospital or the streets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"1000\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Ivory-Charcoal-Yellow-Collage-LGBTQIA-Informational-Infographic-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12472\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Ivory-Charcoal-Yellow-Collage-LGBTQIA-Informational-Infographic-11.png 400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Ivory-Charcoal-Yellow-Collage-LGBTQIA-Informational-Infographic-11-120x300.png 120w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Ivory-Charcoal-Yellow-Collage-LGBTQIA-Informational-Infographic-11-293x733.png 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"400\" height=\"1000\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Ivory-Charcoal-Yellow-Collage-LGBTQIA-Informational-Infographic-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12472\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Ivory-Charcoal-Yellow-Collage-LGBTQIA-Informational-Infographic-11.png 400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Ivory-Charcoal-Yellow-Collage-LGBTQIA-Informational-Infographic-11-120x300.png 120w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/Ivory-Charcoal-Yellow-Collage-LGBTQIA-Informational-Infographic-11-293x733.png 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/noscript><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Ali founded Cancer Equality in 1999 with a group of experts in the field of cancer care, information, and support to raise awareness about cancer within minority ethnic communities and address the issue of inequality in cancer care by helping support organisations deliver culturally appropriate services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI was seeing people in our communities dying of ignorance,\u201d says Ali. \u201cAnd that was not acceptable. We don\u2019t want to solely criticize the service providers for not doing enough. We want to challenge our own communities as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of their most far-reaching campaigns has been the introduction of Ethnic Minority Cancer Awareness month in July to bring to notice the plight of cancer patients from ethnic minority communities. The campaign allows mainstream services to use the month as a platform to promote the services they offer to these particular communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The month is also aimed at addressing the issue of treating cancer as a taboo in many of the minority communities in the UK and fostering discussion about what prevents people in the community from accessing healthcare in a timely manner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWith ethnic minority cancer patients, it\u2019s usually at the point of crisis when cancer is diagnosed,\u201d says Ali. \u201cPeople avoid even talking about it, and it\u2019s as if you utter those words, it will arrive at your doorstep. There is both ignorance and superstition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ali says that there are many reasons behind the community\u2019s lax attitude towards the disease.&nbsp; Health and well-being within minority ethnic communities are treated as somewhat secondary. But racism and poverty are among the major driving forces behind this apparent neglect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"799\" height=\"449\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited.jpg 799w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited-293x165.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"799\" height=\"449\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12194\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited.jpg 799w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited-770x433.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/50399981226_5cd6230db4_c-edited-293x165.jpg 293w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 799px) 100vw, 799px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">NHS acknowledges that inequality is hardwired into the system (Photograph:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/45958601@N02\/\">Joey Zanotti<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>People from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic households were over twice as likely to live in poverty compared to white people according to a study done by Social Metrics Commission in 2020. This had left these ethnicities more vulnerable to job losses and pay cuts, especially during the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhen you are facing discrimination and racism, you are in poor housing, working on zero contract hours, you can\u2019t afford to take time off work to go see your doctor,\u201d says Ali. \u201cHow can health be a priority in such circumstances?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-pullquote is-style-plain\"><blockquote><p>I have seen people in our communities die in horrendous situations at home, not having access to services and care that they needed,<\/p><cite>Ali orhan<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Ali, there is also a lack of assistance for minority ethnic cancer patients from mainstream cancer support that frequently fall short of adapting their messages and awareness campaigns to fit the needs of specific communities. Campaigns often use a one size fits all model which fails to recognize cultural differences and sensibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThey might put up a black face or a brown face in the campaign but the messaging, the language, how the message is conveyed, in most instances alienates the community because there is no thought behind it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bowel cancer screening campaign, for instance, has had a low rate of engagement from the South Asian community. Bowel cancer is one of the most common cancers in the UK. Home testing kits are available for people aged 56 to 74 and test the presence of blood in the stool. The test requires collecting and sending a small quantity of stool to the lab which is then examined for abnormalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-1024x639.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12187\" width=\"770\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-1024x639.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-770x481.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-1536x959.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-293x183.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-1400x874.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103.jpg 1832w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-1024x639.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12187\" width=\"770\" height=\"480\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-1024x639.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-300x187.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-770x481.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-1536x959.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-293x183.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103-1400x874.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1347329103.jpg 1832w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 770px) 100vw, 770px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The new bowel test kit has an easier procedure to follow (Credit- <a href=\"https:\/\/www.istockphoto.com\/portfolio\/PaulMaguire?mediatype=photography\">Paul McGuire<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Studies have shown that there is a lower uptake of bowel screening kits in the South Asian community because of limitations posed by English, the complicated nature of the collection of the sample, which is also seen as a cultural taboo, and reliance on younger family members for translation of the instruction leaflet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt would be extremely embarrassing for me if I have to go to my teenage son and ask him to translate and explain to me how to take a stool sample,\u201d says Ali. \u201cEspecially in the South Asian community, it is not considered culturally appropriate to have such conversations with your elders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The language barrier also significantly affects the treatment experience of people from the South Asian community. Research has found that patients who have limited knowledge of English found it difficult to communicate with the hospital staff and had to depend on informal sources for translating, like friends, family, or bilingual staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere have been cases where young or teenaged kids have been brought to wards to break the news of a cancer diagnosis to their friends or relatives,\u201d says Ali. \u201cHow is that appropriate?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This has more serious consequences in the absence of trained language support and sensitivity to ethnic differences. The Cancer Patient Experience survey also indicates that ethnic minority cancer patients were more likely to say that were not involved in the decision-making regarding their care and also were not adequately explained their treatment options. This prevents the patients from making informed choices about their treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Ali, the actual side effects of treatment may also not be clearly explained to the patients and when they experience the adverse effects, they feel like the treatment is not working and then stop the treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is also good evidence to suggest low uptake of Palliative care and end-of-life services among the BAME community. This is because of factors like lack of referrals, knowledge about these services, religious and spiritual beliefs and insufficient understanding of cultural sensibilities among service providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI have seen people in our communities die in horrendous situations at home, not having access to services and care that they needed,\u201d says Ali. \u201cAnd in stark contrast, I walk into a hospice, where there are predominantly white people in tranquil, caring environments with the best of support, hygiene, and medication and their life ends relatively much more peacefully.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-770x512.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-293x195.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-1400x931.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"681\" src=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-1024x681.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12189\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-770x512.jpg 770w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-370x247.jpg 370w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-293x195.jpg 293w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920-1400x931.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/hospice-gaa14a17c6_1920.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/noscript><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">People often revert to their native language at the end of their life, which can be a barrier in mainstream hospices (Credit: <a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/users\/andrzejrembowski-2775184\/\">Andrzej Rambowski<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Part of it also has to do with the choice that people make of deciding to die at home rather than in a hospice but according to Ali, this is often a decision that can be forced out of a dearth of options rather than free will.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>General practitioners in a sample study were shown to be unaware of palliative services that cater to ethnic minorities. Studies have shown that there is a lack of referrals for end-of-life services for many South Asian patients because of the stereotype and assumption that family members would care for the patients because of cultural reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt should be about informed choice,\u201d says Ali. \u201cI may choose to look after my mother at the end of life and care for her but equally so, I may also want to have a palliative care nurse to attend to her personal needs. When this choice isn\u2019t available, then it\u2019s a problem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These multitudes of issues contribute to the high level of health inequalities faced by cancer patients in the BAME communities. A number of consultations have happened in the past regarding the inclusion of these communities but Ali says that most people in the community are reluctant to engage with them as they feel the questionnaires to merely tick-bock exercises with little difference to see on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe see all these reports coming out where the ethnic minority communities are involved in questionnaires, focus groups, and panels. But no one looks at the recommendations, no one is taking action on them, no one holds them to account,\u201d says Ali.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He presses on the necessity of consultation and collaborative work with both the community and the mainstream service providers and more proactive discussion about addressing the needs of these people. It is essential to achieve tangible results on ground that would address the health inequalities in cancer care for ethnic minorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe thing about cancer is that we can prove that early detection can save lives,\u201d says Ali. \u201cBut if it\u2019s not happening, then, in essence, you are in a way, contributing to a community\u2019s demise.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Cancer patients from ethnic minority communities face stark inequalities in medical care and treatment. What is alienating these communities from getting the care they need?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":804,"featured_media":12474,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[133],"class_list":["post-11882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorised","tag-racism"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Cancer care for ethnic minorities- The Great Divide - Life360<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Cancer care for ethnic minorities- The Great Divide - Life360\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Cancer patients from ethnic minority communities face stark inequalities in medical care and treatment. What is alienating these communities from getting the care they need?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Life360\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/rohini.singh.9081\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-08-31T08:46:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-07-27T23:12:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1139899254.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1254\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"836\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"ROHINI SINGH\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@rohini2589\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"ROHINI SINGH\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/\",\"name\":\"Cancer care for ethnic minorities- The Great Divide - Life360\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1139899254.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-08-31T08:46:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-07-27T23:12:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/#\/schema\/person\/13f4cd0cb67efde748b555f475e81952\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/cancer-care-for-ethnic-minorities-the-great-divide\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1139899254.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/life360\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/8\/2022\/08\/iStock-1139899254.jpg\",\"width\":1254,\"height\":836,\"caption\":\"Business concept, disagreement, dispute, collapse. 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