The Aboriginal web resource of the NSW Cancer Council is celebrating its first birthday. Launched during NAIDOC Week 2015, the site is designed for Aboriginal people affected by cancer, their community and carers, and health professionals to access information and resources.
“A year after going live, trends for what type of content visitors find most useful have become apparent,” said Annemaree Binger, Regional Manager Cancer Council NSW Western Region. “Aboriginal people told us that they wanted stories about Aboriginal people’s experiences with cancer, particularly stories about people who have survived cancer.”
These stories are popular, as well as stories from the community. One story called Robin Payne’s journey was a particular favourite. Practical pages, such as accommodation information for patients and carers, were also popular, as were research results, according to Annemaree.
Cancer is the second most common cause of death for Aboriginal people, who are 60% more likely to die from cancer than non-Aboriginal people. Committed to reducing these inequalities, Cancer Council NSW investigated the reason behind the increased death rate and assessed the cancer experiences of Aboriginal people in NSW through the Aboriginal Patterns of Cancer Care project (APOCC). Insights from the project have informed the content and structure of the website.
Honorary Professor Dianne O’Connell, lead researcher on the project at Cancer Council NSW, says that the APOCC project has provided Cancer Council NSW with a detailed understanding of the gaps in cancer care for Aboriginal people, including the barriers that are likely to prevent access to appropriate and timely cancer care.
“The information on our website for the Aboriginal community is designed to target the gaps identified by the research in clear and culturally appropriate formats.” Visit Cancer Council NSW’s website for Aboriginal people at: http://www.cancercouncil.com.au/aboriginalcancer/