Background

Racialized peoples in Canada experience an increased risk of negative cancer-related health outcomes. For example, racialized people have lower rates of access to cancer services and more cancer-related deaths than other Canadians. Poverty, language barriers, experiences of racism and discrimination, lack of trust, and health system navigation issues contribute to cancer inequities. The purpose of this research is to co-design a community-based patient and family caregiver navigation program to increase equity in access to cancer care for racialized peoples of Latin American, South Asian, and Black African descent in Alberta. We will develop the navigation program together with the communities of interest. We will host community engagements sessions with community members to determine important components of the navigation program through playback theatre. We may have follow-up conversations with some participants. We will work with patient and community partners to finalize the navigation program and will pilot the navigation program for one year by placing 3 navigators at a local community organization. We hope to engage 35 patients or caregivers. Patients and families will be able to connect directly with the patient navigator to receive support with accessing services and resources related to their cancer journey needs. We will evaluate the impact of this program through individual conversations with program participants and group interviews with five providers from community agencies. We will record information such as population characteristics, types of inquiries, referrals, and supports provided. Navigators will also keep reflexive diaries. We will ensure that community voice is included in all research stages. We will engage in diverse forms of knowledge sharing such as video clips, visual materials, and radio shows. We are committed to sharing our findings widely to support improved access to cancer related services and resources in Canada.

Roles and Responsibilities

We are seeking patient partners of Latin American, South Asian, and Black African descent in Edmonton, Alberta with affiliations in the communities we aim to include in this study.

Patient and community partners will

• partake in biweekly Community Navigator team meetings for the planning of community engagement sessions with our communities of interest and co-design the patient navigation
• collaborate with research activities to enhance the patient-oriented approach to research studies. These activities may include but are not limited to participant recruitment, data collection and interpretation of findings, and research grant planning.
• review and provide feedback on study materials, protocols, and other project documents to ensure clarity, accessibility, and cultural relevance, and
• engage in community-based and academic knowledge dissemination activities when possible.

Training and support will be offered.

Time Commitment

The project runs from 2025 to 2027. Patient partners can expect two to three hours of meeting time per month. In addition, there may be future opportunities to join working groups and collaborate on additional aspects of this project and others in this program of research.

 Compensation/Reimbursement

Compensation is being offered for this opportunity as per University of Alberta policies and procedures and AbSPORU guidelines. See AbSPORU link here.

Meetings will usually be held online.
In-person activities will also occur. Expenses related to in-person activities, such as travel and parking, may be reimbursed when taking place in off campus locations.

 For more information or to apply

Priya Vyas

Email: pkvyas@ualberta.ca

Phone or text: (780) 492 8185