Cervical screening in Canada, 2023-24

Screening experience for First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis

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Engagement strategies include developing educational materials and ongoing relationship building.

Community engagement strategies with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis

P/T Specific community engagement strategies that each jurisdiction has used with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis governments, organizations, partners or community groups
YT
NT
NU
BC British Columbia is building relationships with community champions and delivering targeted education/awareness campaigns.
AB Data-sharing agreements are being developed with First Nations and other groups to do ongoing assessments and monitoring to inform engagement strategies.
SK
MB Manitoba is employing the following engagement strategies:

  • Cross-screening program (breast, colon, cervix) awareness
  • Cancer prevention messaging, education, and promotion (social media, awareness campaigns)
  • Extensive website with Pap clinic maps
  • CervixCheck partnering with community engagement liaisons in each regional health authority province-wide to provide resources for group education
  • Competency training for cervical screening providers working in First Nation communities
  • Regular education sessions with federally and provincially funded healthcare providers and community-led groups
  • Partnered with various underserved communities (including First Nations, Métis, transgender, women affected by female genital cutting, and ethnic groups) in planning the HPV Self-Sample Project to:
    • Understand how they wanted to distribute kits within their community
    • Provide education session on cervical cancer screening, eligibility, kit contents, kit instructions, and frequently asked questions
    • Provide kits for the community by hand-out or by CervixCheck mail-out
    • Advise on how results were processed and educate on necessary follow-up
  • Conducted a debrief session with each group at end of the project.
ON
  • Regional Cancer Programs (RCPs), including Regional Indigenous Cancer Leads, Indigenous Navigators and Project Coordinators, work closely with the Indigenous Cancer Care Unit (ICCU) at Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) and Indigenous communities within each region to tailor recruitment strategies to ensure they are appropriate and effective. This includes the development of Indigenous-specific educational resources that are translated into Indigenous languages.
  • In partnership with the RCPs, the ICCU works with Indigenous communities to attend community events, including Pow Wows and health fairs, to share information on cancer screening.
  • The Mobile Screening Coaches in the Hamilton-Niagara-Haldimand-Brant and North West regions visit Indigenous communities to bring screening closer to home.
  • Through the relationships developed and fostered by the ICCU, regional teams have been able to continue working with communities as guided by the First Nations, Inuit, Métis and Urban Indigenous Cancer Strategy.
QC
NB To engage with First Nations community, a member of the community is participating in community advisory/working group(s).
NS Nova Scotia is partnering with Mi’kmaq First Nations health leaders and directors.
PE Individual community members who might be interested in participating in the consultations were approached. The consultation team invited individuals to participate in either one-on-one interviews or small group discussions (holding focus groups and key stakeholder interviews).

The discussions focused on a series of questions with two main themes:

  • Awareness and understanding of cancer screening
  • Accessibility and participation in cancer screening

Perspectives, experiences, and opinions were collected from these discussions.

NL
  • Participation and engagement with CPAC-funded project for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis within care program.
  • Targeted presentations to healthcare professionals who provide direct health services to Indigenous populations.
  • Initiation of open-access cervical screening clinics in collaboration with Indigenous partners.

-YT, NT, NU, SK, QC: No information was provided at the time data were collected.


Strategies to improve screening participation through understanding and addressing barriers

P/T Strategies jurisdictions have used with First Nations, Inuit and/or Métis communities to identify and reduce barriers to screening participation
YT
NT
NU
BC
AB Via work supported by the Cancer Prevention and Screening Innovation team, community navigator and leaders were used to identify communities’ interest in cancer screening and community-specific strategies.
SK
MB
ON
  • For First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous peoples, Regional Cancer Programs, including Regional Indigenous Cancer Leads, Indigenous Navigators and Project Coordinators, worked closely with the Indigenous Cancer Care Unit (ICCU) at Ontario Health and Indigenous communities within each region to identify First Nations, Inuit, Métis and urban Indigenous community members for cervical screening, and to tailor recruitment strategies, including the development of customized Regional Indigenous Cancer Plans, to ensure they are appropriate and effective.
  • The ICCU supports the development of culturally safe materials and resources such as Cancer Screening Fact Sheets, Toolkit, and awareness postcards/posters. These materials are designed and tailored with and for First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
  • Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario) developed a Cancer 101 video for First Nations people. This video gives basic cancer information and answers many common questions about cancer. Other groups that helped make the video are CAREX Canada, the Occupational Cancer Research Centre and the Canadian Cancer Society.
  • The Screening Activity Report (SAR) is an online report that provides screening data to help family doctors improve their cancer screening rates and appropriate follow-up. The report allows family doctors to quickly find specific cancer screening information for each patient, including those who are overdue or have never been screened. In June 2018, the SAR was expanded to the Sioux Lookout Zone, which consists of several First Nations communities, providing non-patient enrollment model physicians and nurses access to their community data. This SAR was developed specifically for the Sioux Lookout municipality and the 27 First Nations communities that reside in the Sioux Lookout Zone.
  • The ICCU advocates to the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program to ensure transportation to cancer screening services are covered.
  • The Mobile Screening Coaches in the Hamilton-Niagara-Haldimand-Brant and North West regions visit Indigenous communities to bring screening closer to home.
  • In partnership with the Regional Cancer Programs (RCPs), the ICCU works with Indigenous communities to host community screening events to bring screening into the community (e.g., Pap parties).
QC
NB
NS Nova Scotia delivered education sessions to reduce barriers.
PE One of the strategies involves supporting the attendance of wellness days in Indigenous communities that promote cancer screening (e.g., “Pap and Pamper” sessions that combine on-site screening tests with spa sessions. Community members can attend with friends or family in a welcoming environment, thereby reducing any barriers to participation).

Another strategy involves organizing a workshop called “Blanket Exercise” to learn about culture, barriers, and expectations and to connect with Indigenous-based health care and services. This has been an effective way to build trust and understanding between the cancer-screening team and Indigenous communities.

NL Cervical Screening seeks to work with our Indigenous partners to reduce barriers to cervical cancer screening through engagement and consultation. The program collaborates with navigators, community, and healthcare leaders to provide information and materials specific to the needs of Indigenous communities, such as open-access cervical screening clinics through the access-to-service grant program. Cancer screening programs also propose that a nurse practitioner can help in service delivery for clients who do not have a primary healthcare provider.

-No information was provided at the time data were collected.