Towards equitable cancer outcomes for rural and remote communities: reflections, lessons and recommendations
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: People living in rural and remote areas continue to face significant inequities in cancer outcomes compared to their metropolitan counterparts. Despite advances in cancer control, these disparities persist across the cancer trajectory. This personal view consolidates findings from our Equitable Cancer Outcomes for Rural and Remote Communities series, highlighting survival disadvantages, challenges in measuring and reporting rurality, barriers to implementing evidence-based interventions, and shortcomings in historical policy. We argue for place-based, system-level reform that genuinely partners with rural communities, leverages local strengths, and embeds rural voices in research, policy, and service delivery. Key recommendations include adopting a formal partnership position statement to guide collaboration across sectors, strengthening rural data infrastructure, harmonising rural-urban classifications, tailoring implementation strategies, and prioritising geographical equity within cancer policy. Achieving meaningful progress requires coordinated cross-sector action and sustained investment in rural capacity. Equitable cancer outcomes will only be achieved by recognising and addressing the responsibility to deliver best practice care for all people affected by cancer, regardless of where they live.
Authors: Anna Ugalde, Hannah Jongebloed, Charlene Wright, Helena Rodi, Anna Chapman, Skye Marshall, Drew Aras, Rebecca J. Bergin, Sophie Boffa, Anna Boltong, Michele Conlin, Fiona Crawford–Williams, Carl de Wet, Wasek Faisal, Lan Gao, Harry Gasper, Kate Gunn, Nicolas H. Hart, Theresa Hayes, Florian Honeyball, Elizabeth A. Johnston, Deme Karikios, Nicole Kiss, Lucy Leigh, Patricia M. Livingston, Carmel O'Kane, Rebecca Perry, Joel Rhee, Sharina Riva, Laura Sergeant, Camille E. Short, Ruth Stewart, Victoria Turner, Megan Varlow, Kate Whittaker, Anna Wong Shee, Serene Yoong, Laura Alston
Institutions: Deakin University, Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre, Monash Health, Monash University, La Trobe University, Grampians Health, Flinders University, Caring Futures Institute, Queensland Health, Queensland Government, The University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland, Noosa Hospital, Sunshine Coast University Hospital, University of South Australia, University of Technology Sydney, Edith Cowan University, Queensland University of Technology, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Barwon Health, The University of Sydney, Western NSW Local Health District, Cancer Council Queensland, Nepean Hospital, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle Australia, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, UNSW Sydney, The University of Melbourne, Cancer Institute of New South Wales, Cancer Council Australia
Language: English
Subfield: Oncology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $4,250
OpenAlex ID: W4416712984