Oral Presentation Clinical Oncology Society of Australia Annual Scientific Meeting 2023

Achieving cervical cancer elimination in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities (#48)

Lisa J Whop 1
  1. Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia

There are persistent and substantial inequities in cervical cancer morbidity and mortality for Indigenous women in high resource settler-colonial nation states, such as Australia. These inequities are unacceptable. Cervical cancer can be eliminated as a public health problem, using available and highly effective forms of primary and secondary prevention, and, for early stage disease, treatment. Global calls, led by Indigenous women, have urged that cervical cancer elimination targets be equity-driven, and that addressing inequities be central to the elimination agenda. The elimination of cervical cancer for Indigenous peoples requires the elimination of institutionalised racism and racist health system structures. Elimination can be achieved by seeking to address inequities by examining and dismantling structural barriers to care and wellbeing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and communities, ensuring that research is strengths-based and transformative – seeking system change rather than focusing on individual or Indigenous deficits. Here we showcase the various strategies Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are leading to increase cervical screening and timely access to treatment - key pillars of achieving elimination.