Culture can be hindrance to cancer prevention

Written by Cherelle Jackson
Sunday, 30 March 2008
Doctor David Skegg, a World Health Organisation consultant, Cancer Researcher and Epidimiologist. The conservative nature of Pacific cultures, like that in Samoa can be a possible obstacle in the detection and prevention of cancers, in particular cervical cancer. As a small community with issues involving confidentiality amongst those in the field of medicine, some are afraid to reveal the symptoms of such a cancers unless it becomes unbearable. For a long time Doctors and Researchers have owed the conservative nature of the Samoan culture to be a hindrance to extensive sexual and reproducive health awareness campaigns and preventative methods. Last week Newsline spoke to Doctor David Skegg, a World Health Organisation consultant, Cancer Researcher and Epidimiologist. Skegg specialises in research on contraceptive and drug safety and in the causes and prevention of cancer particularly breast and cervical cancer. The Epidimiologist was asked what he felt about culture being a possible obstacle in contraception, he said: “I think it is important that even in societies that have conservatal or traditional attitudes towards marriage and so on which I have a lot of sympathy, it is very important that we should be able to speak openly about sexual matters and about sexual health and family planning because that is in everyones interest. I do not see the two as being in conflict at all.” Having been involved with WHO for many years, particularly with programmes on reproductive health, Skegg worked with medical professionals from across the world, especially with people from developing countries. Contraception “It is very interesting to see how different cultural practices and expectations affect people, with contraception for example there is an injectable contraception called depo-provera and that often causes women to stop having menstrual bleeding. In some cultures that is a good thing, but in some it is perceived as a bad thing, some Islamic countries view women who have their period as unclead, but in other parts of the world, not having a period is a disaster. In fact in some countries, people think you are pregnant and you immediately get the reactions to suit,” he said. Skegg then pointed out: “So on those regards it did bring home to me how different affect cultural perception, or how the side effections of contraception are perceived because of the culture.” According to the Doctor the symptoms of cervical cancer should not be ignored, if untreated it can become unpleasant. “The important thing is to be aware of the symptoms of cervical cancer, especially any bleeding that they have in between periods, so they should have a checkup, but like many diseases, if it is detected early the treatment can be very effective,” he said. If it is detected late, Skegg says of course people feel embarrased to come up because it is personal and private, but it is important, especially bleeding after intercourse although he says it may mean nothing , it could still mean that there is a problem. Prevention “One of our priorities is for people to be educated about the early symptoms so that they can be treated. If it is not treated, it can be a very unpleasent disease,” he said. Currently there are various preventative methods available for cervical cancer. “We have good evidence that women who have regular smears so long as they are followed up and treated properly can have a greatly reduced risk, I know it’s a problem here in Samoa so as other countries,” Skegg said. Samoa does not have an organised smear programme, however recently New Zealand Doctors have done some work in partnership with the Ministry of Health, MedCen and Samoa Family Planning Association conducting smear tests both on Upolu and Savaii. “It is difficult, many countries do not have organised programmes and it is quite expensive to set up a programme. It also requires a high degree of organisation, but it is something that I think in the future Samoa will need to look at,” Skegg said. There is now a vaccine against the virus that causes cervical cancer, but unfortunately Skegg says it is very expensive. “But I am sure in the future it will become affordable, the price will come down, in fact there is more than one vaccine so in many years time we will have the capacity to prevent most cases of cerviccal cancer but in the meantime, early detection is the best way of preventing it,” he reiterated. Comments (0) Subscribe to this comment's feed Write comment Name Email Title Comment

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