Amy Selly, CNP, AOCNP, discusses the challenges facing cancer survivors from underserved populations.
Cancer survivors from underserved populations often face unique challenges that can significantly impact their quality of life. These challenges may be exacerbated by factors like socioeconomic disparities, cultural barriers, systemic inequalities, and health disparities. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach.
Here, Amy Selly, CNP, AOCNP, Allina Health medical oncology advanced practice provider lead, discusses the challenges facing these patients.
Transcription:
0:05 | When you're looking at the different cultures and ethnic backgrounds when we're working with patients, if you have language barriers, that is going to be the first. And really making sure that you have high-quality interpreters and that any printed materials that you're given are provided in the correct language to help. I have found that sometimes we need to bring in leaders within those cultural communities to help us overcome some of the what could be potential barriers. So, you know, really providing that education so that patients feel comfortable with the recommendations that are made to move forward, so that that could really happen culturally.
0:58 | And then we just in general, have that underserved, or you know, underinsured population, and those as well, we have that sort of higher risk of them not continuing to follow for surveillance afterwards. Getting access to the resources that can really benefit them in improving their emotional impact, their functional status, really getting them physically back to their optimum self following the end of treatment. It really can be challenging.