Indigenous cancer care in Queensland, Australia: Health professionals’ framing of “difference”

This paper reports on interviews with tertiary health professionals to elicit their perspectives of Indigenous cancer patients and report on factors influencing clinical decisions, particularly concerning co-morbidities, Indigeneity, and access and use of cancer services. The overarching concept of "difference" framed three main categories: "Acknowledging difference", "Not knowing how to accommodate difference" and "Not seeing difference". Findings indicate some health professionals acknowledge and aim to address needs and expectations of Indigenous cancer patients; however, challenges in identifying Indigenous status, limitations in providing relevant care within a biomedical system, and outdated assumptions and constraints of the health system limit this endeavour. Consistent and accurate recording of Indigenous status in medical records is important for health professionals to identify Indigenous status in a sensitive and timely manner. Cultural competence training should be embedded within all health training and be part of ongoing systematic organisational processes to improve the provision of culturally appropriate cancer care.