Table 1 Summary of key issues in the 2006 cancer council environmental scan
From: Making progress: the role of cancer councils in Australia in indigenous cancer control
Theme | Key issue |
|---|---|
Collaboration | > Difficulties in building and sustaining relationships with Indigenous organisations. |
> No Indigenous members on Cancer Council Boards | |
> Lack of Indigenous input into policy and programs | |
Workforce | > Lack of Indigenous staff working within the organisations |
> Many demands placed on the few Indigenous staff members | |
> Some Indigenous staff were uncomfortable working in a mainstream organisation without Indigenous colleagues providing peer-support | |
Resources | > Indigenous health agencies were under-resourced to respond and cancer was not prioritised among many competing social and health issues |
> Lack of dedicated staff time for Indigenous issues | |
> Few Indigenous-specific resources | |
Commitment | > Few planned, long-term commitments to improving Indigenous cancer control |
> Lack of commitment of significant resources on a sustained basis | |
Cultural appropriateness | > Lack of understanding of Indigenous culture and hence the “right” way to do things |
> Recognition that Western psychosocial and support models for cancer might not be appropriate for Indigenous clients |