• Charles Sturt lecturer devises culturally inclusive program to encourage Chinese Australians to get regular cancer screenings

A Charles Sturt University academic is improving cancer outcomes of Chinese Australians by developing culturally sensitive ways of imparting knowledge and encouraging cancer screenings.

Associate Professor of Nursing in the Charles Sturt School of Nursing, Paramedicine and Healthcare Sciences in Bathurst Cannas Kwok is leading ‘Healthy Living in Sydney’.

The project is a culturally-tailored and linguistically appropriate cancer awareness, education and screening program for Chinese immigrants in NSW.

The program uses a community partnership approach to improve cancer outcomes by promoting cancer screening through the Chinese Australian Services Society and their community centres.

Training a group of health advocates to continue the education role in the community beyond the program’s completion was another highlight of the project that maintains sustainability.

The project aligned with the goals of the NSW Cancer Plan and targeted one of its ‘focus populations’ of Chinese people in Sydney.

The research already earned Professor Kwok a nomination for a 2024 NSW Premier Award for Outstanding Cancer Research in the Improving Equitable Outcomes category.

“Immigrants, including Chinese people, are an underserved group in cancer screening because of cultural beliefs about cancer and screening, and language barriers,” she said.

“Their participation rates in all cancer screenings have been consistently reported lower than their counterparts who are born in Australia.

“Culturally sensitive and linguistically appropriate cancer education is an effective approach to promote cancer screenings, not only for the Chinese community, but it also applies to other culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) groups.”

The project featured 24 educational sessions focusing on bowel, breast and cervical cancer, with information presented in Cantonese or Mandarin. A consumer engagement panel of four members of Chinese ancestry and four leaders from Chinese community organisations played a crucial role in the project’s development and implementation.

More than 800 people participated in the educational sessions and further evaluation has confirmed it is improving knowledge about the importance of screening and increasing intentions to participate in screening.

“This empowerment, bolstered by the long-term support of community health advocates, fosters more equitable health outcomes by encouraging greater engagement in early detection through screening practices and treatment among Chinese individuals,” Professor Kwok said.