Western welcome funding to improve cancer outcomes in people from diverse backgrounds
More than $1.4 million has been awarded to Associate Professor Carolyn Ee from Western’s NICM Health Research Institute (NICM HRI) through the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to improve cancer outcomes in people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
The project – Patient Navigation to improve outcomes in people affected by cancer from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, the PEARL study – was awarded $1,466,687 through the 2023 MRFF Clinician Researchers – Applied Research in Health grant.
Associate Professor Ee will lead a team – which includes NICM’s Dr Suzanne Grant and Associate Professor Freya MacMillan from the School of Health Sciences – to implement and evaluate a patient navigation program designed to reduce barriers to accessing healthcare that hinder Chinese and Vietnamese-speaking people with cancer at a critical point in their cancer journey - at the time of transition back to primary care after cancer treatment.
“Cancer outcomes are poorer for people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds compared to people from Anglo Australian backgrounds. This may include a higher risk of depression, and poorer quality of life,” said Associate Professor Ee.
“Our study builds on the substantial expertise and experience of our team, especially that of our community partner organisations. By doing this, we aim to ensure that all people with cancer receive the care that they need, regardless of cultural or linguistic background”.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Enterprise & International) Professor Deborah Sweeney congratulated the team on their funding success.
“Equitable access to healthcare is one of the most vital issues of our time. I congratulate Associate Professor Carolyn Ee and her team on this funding success, research excellence and on developing this innovative and vital project set to make major impacts on the wellbeing of some of our most vulnerable communities,” said Professor Sweeney.
The study will be conducted across three States (NSW, Queensland and South Australia) and is a partnership with Flinders University, Griffith University, the University of Melbourne, the University of Technology Sydney, the Primary Care Collaborative Cancer Clinical Trials group, CanRevive, SouthWestern Sydney Local Health District Multicultural Health Services, World Wellness Group, Tong De Association of South Australia, Inala Primary Care, the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, Global Cancer Focus (international partner) and Western Sydney, South Western Sydney and Adelaide Primary Health Networks.
The Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) supports clinical trials to test the effectiveness and safety of new medical treatments, including encouraging collaboration with international researchers. It will fill gaps in areas that need more research, support emerging researchers and their teams, and help researchers develop and bring their ideas to market earlier.
ENDS
14 February 2023
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