Abstract
Introduction: This poster represents the current findings from the Macmillan Rural Cancer Experience Research currently being undertaken in Mid Wales, U.K. (Project timeline July 2023-June 2025)
Background: Cancer is seen as showing a worldwide 5% reduction of survival in rural versus urban areas (Carriere et al 2018). Whilst acknowledging outcomes and experiences are universally shaped by both the social determinants of health and the upstream structural drivers of health and healthcare, rural locations can work to influence both peoples’ outcomes and their experiences. Adopting a homogeneity to defining 'rurality' can also fail to recognise diverse, heterogenous communities, and the complexities of local issues within such communities (Murchie et al, 2019).
Research Aim and Objective: The aim of this research project is to compare the experiences of people living with cancer in rural Mid Wales with those in urban areas. The objective is to uncover if these experiences are equitable. This project wants to contribute to improvement in the experiences of rural populations living with cancer and wishes to promote and share positive experiences whilst highlighting those that are contributing to any inequalities.
Who is involved: The Macmillan Rural Cancer Experience project I am undertaking with Rural Health and Care Wales (RHCW) is centred in Mid Wales and is of a predominantly qualitative nature. The project is seeking the experiences of people who currently have, or have had cancer, their carers and supporters, and people working in organisations to help them, thus providing collaborative feedback from the ‘ground up’. The findings will be subsequently grounded in both a Welsh and then an international literature review, which will look to expose associations with existing themes whilst also providing evidence of existing service provision.
Next Steps: This is a two-year project running from July 2023 to June 2025. In line with the wishes of the researcher, RHCW and Macmillan, findings will be shared along the project timeline. This, it is hoped, will incorporate a dynamic learning approach that will encourage wider stakeholder and public engagement. Sharing a poster at ICIC24 represents an important element of this approach, facilitating both engagement and learning.
Dissemination and Wider Learning: Reducing health inequalities involves bringing to light the root causes of issues. By conducting in-depth qualitative methods, this research hopes to involve participants in both highlighting these factors but also being able to showcase any local, successful positive practices that may be working to help alleviate inequalities. By means of a collaborative Health Board (RHCW) and third sector (Macmillan) approach, the participating stakeholders are well placed to advocate for any necessary changes highlighted by the research findings.
References: Carriere, R., Adam, R., Fielding, S., Barlas, R., Ong, Y. and Murchie, P., 2018. Rural dwellers are less likely to survive cancer–an international review and meta-analysis. Health & place, 53, pp.219-227.
Murchie, P., Adam, R., Wood, R. and Fielding, S., 2019. Can we understand and improve poorer cancer survival in rural-dwellers?. BJGP open, 3(2).