Cancer survivorship programs for patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds: a scoping review

Lawrence Kasherman; Won-Hee Yoon; Sim Yee Cindy Tan; Ashanya Malalasekera; Joanne Shaw; Janette Vardy

doi:10.1007/s11764-023-01442-w

Cancer survivorship programs for patients from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds: a scoping review

J Cancer Surviv. 2023 Aug 12. doi: 10.1007/s11764-023-01442-w. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Lawrence Kasherman^{1

2

3}, Won-Hee Yoon⁴, Sim Yee Cindy Tan^{1

3}, Ashanya Malalasekera^{1

3}, Joanne Shaw⁵, Janette Vardy^{6

7}

Affiliations

¹ Concord Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2138, Australia.
² Department of Medical Oncology, Illawarra Cancer Care Centre, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
³ Sydney Cancer Survivorship Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Westmead Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁵ Psycho-Oncology Co-operative Research Group (PoCoG), School of Psychology, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁶ Concord Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2138, Australia. Janette.vardy@sydney.edu.au.
⁷ Sydney Cancer Survivorship Centre, Department of Medical Oncology, Concord Hospital, Concord, NSW, Australia. Janette.vardy@sydney.edu.au.

PMID: 37572196
DOI: 10.1007/s11764-023-01442-w

Abstract

Purpose: People of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds face disparities in cancer care. This scoping review aims to identify the breadth of international literature focused on cancer survivorship programs/interventions specific to CALD populations, and barriers and facilitators to program participation.

Methods: Scoping review included studies focused on interventions for CALD cancer survivors after curative-intent treatment. Electronic databases: Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Scopus were searched, for original research articles from database inception to April 2022.

Results: 710 references were screened with 26 included: 14 randomized (54%), 6 mixed-method (23%), 4 non-randomized experimental (15%), 2 qualitative studies (8%). Most were United States-based (85%), in breast cancer survivors (88%; Table 1), of Hispanic/Latinx (54%) and Chinese (27%) backgrounds. Patient-reported outcome measures were frequently incorporated as primary endpoints (65%), or secondary endpoints (15%). 81% used multi-modal interventions with most encompassing domains of managing psychosocial (85%) or physical (77%) effects from cancer, and most were developed through community-based participatory methods (46%) or informed by earlier work by the same research groups (35%). Interventions were usually delivered by bilingual staff (88%). 17 studies (77%) met their primary endpoints, such as meeting feasibility targets or improvements in quality of life or psychological outcomes. Barriers and facilitators included cultural sensitivity, health literacy, socioeconomic status, acculturation, and access.

Conclusions: Positive outcomes were associated with cancer survivorship programs/interventions for CALD populations. As we identified only 26 studies over the last 14 years in this field, gaps surrounding provision of cancer survivorship care in CALD populations remain.

Implications for cancer survivors: Ensuring culturally sensitive and specific delivery of cancer survivorship programs and interventions is paramount in providing optimal care for survivors from CALD backgrounds.

Keywords: Culturally and linguistically diverse; Scoping review; Survivorship.

Publication types

Review