“Money talks. And the society we live in is very harsh.” Cancer Care-Seeking from the Perspectives of Guam’s Chamorros

Auteurs-es

  • John Moss

Mots-clés :

Chamorro, Guam, cancer, healthcare

Résumé

Cancer mortality is rising at an astonishing rate on the island of Guam compared to the US. The indigenous people of Guam, the Chamorro, suffer from the highest rates of cancer death compared to other ethnic groups. To better understand some of the factors underlying these mortality rates, in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 self-identified Chamorros of Guam to explore their experiences seeking screening and treatment for cancer. Respondent’s care-seeking was significantly influenced by their family’s wealth and their health insurance coverage. Informants who did not seek regular cancer screening reported financial barriers along with a lack of awareness of cancer screening. Immediate family members facilitated increased access to cancer care, but extended family members sometimes caused increased stress for participants with cancer. Public awareness campaigns promoting cancer screening need to be tied to structural changes to the health care system to make cancer care financially accessible for care-seekers.

Références

Balajadia, R. G., Wenzel, L., Huh, J., Sweningson, J., & Hubble, F. A. (2008). Cancer-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors among Chamorros on Guam. Cancer Detection and Prevention, 32(Suppl 1), S4-15. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/u3JAq

Guam Cancer Care. Retrieved March 6, 2013 from http://goo.gl/egpc2 Haddock, R. L., Rebecca, J. T., & Whippy, H. J. D. (2009). Ethnic disparities in cancer mortality among residents of Guam. Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 10(1), 57-62.

Howlader, N., Noone, A. M., Krapcho, M., Neyman, N., Aminou, R., Waldron W.,...Cronin K. A. (Eds.). (2012). SEER cancer statistics review, 1975-2009. Bethesda, MD: National cancer institute. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/V8e9t

Island Cancer Center. Retrieved March 6, 2013 from http://goo.gl/BmnqE

Mummert, A., Artero M., Badowski, G., Ehlert, M. B., Haddock, R., Mariano, C.,...Veksler, R. (2011). Guam cancer facts and figures 2003-2007, revised 2011. Guam, Mangilao: Guam Comprehensive Cancer Coalition. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/3HlDx

Natividad, L. S. (2007). Social support use by Chamorro women on Guam diagnosed with breast cancer. MN: Capella University.

Perez, M. (2002). Pacific identities beyond racial formations: The case of Chamorro ambivalence and flux. Social Identities, 8(3), 457-479.

Rosario, A. M. (2010). Meeting Chamorro women’s health care needs: Examining the cultural impact of mamahlao on gynaecological screening. Pacific Health Dialog, 16(1), 81-90.

Smith, R. A., Cokkinides, V., & Brawley, O. W. (2012). Cancer screening in the United States, 2012: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and current issues in cancer screening. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 62(2), 129-142.

Tsark, J. U., Cancer Council of the Pacific Islands, Braun, K. (2007). Reducing health disparities in the US-associated Pacific. Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 13(1), 49-58.

Tseng, C., Omphroy, G., Naval, C. L., & Haddock, R. L. (2004). Cancer in the territory of Guam. Pacific Health Dialogue, 11(2), 57-63. Retrieved from: http:// www.pacifichealthdialog.org.fj/

US Census. (2010a). Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2010 Guam Demographic Profile Data. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/BqMdM

US Census. (2010b). Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics: 2010 Guam Demographic Profile Data. Retrieved from http://goo.gl/5zAsg

US Department of Health and Human Services. (2006). Healthy People 2010 Midcourse Review. Retrieved from: http://goo.gl/mR3n6

Weiss, R. (1995). Learning from strangers: The art and method of qualitative interviewing studies. New York, NY: The Free Press.

Téléchargements

Publié-e

2013-09-01

Numéro

Rubrique

Articles