Inequalities in Cancer Outcomes NetworkInequalities in Cancer Outcomes Network
To mark World Cancer Day, join Inequalities in Cancer Outcomes Network (ICON), Centre for Global Chronic Conditions and Cancer Interest Group for the first seminar in a series on Inequalities in Cancer Outcomes.
Universal health coverage (UHC) systems, such as the NHS, aim to provide optimal care to all according to their needs. Therefore, all things being equal, cancer patients should receive the same optimal care and experience similar outcomes. However, in the UK and other countries with UHC systems, inequalities in cancer outcomes along the cancer patient pathway are consistently observed across various sociodemographic groups of the population.
Reacting to such alarming observations, plans and initiatives have been implemented in order to reduce these inequalities, but very little success has been achieved. At the same time, understanding the mechanisms underlying these inequalities and investigating solutions to reduce them is the growing focus in many research fields, reflecting the multidimensionality of this topic.
Acknowledging this complexity, this series of seminars will bring together speakers from a wide range of backgrounds to present their views on these inequalities and to build a bridge between experts, policymakers and stakeholders.
In this first seminar of the series, Professor Bernard Rachet will provide an overview of the current cancer inequalities landscape and present some of the suggested mechanisms which underlay policy initiatives.
Beyond looking at individual factors associated with cancer outcomes, our research on inequalities recently shifted to the interplays between elements of the healthcare system and sociodemographic characteristics of the cancer patients. We want to know why more deprived patients have worse cancer outcomes and what can be done about it.
Professor Bernard Rachet, Professor of Cancer Epidemiology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
This session will be chaired by Dr Melanie Morris, Deputy Director of Centre for Global Chronic Conditions.