Reproductive cancers

Aboriginal Nurse, The, 2002

Residential schools had a big impact on attitudes. Aboriginal people learned to repress their sexuality in the schools. They also lost respect for themselves, and this makes self-care difficult. So they often don't get screened for cancer.

Be sure to read Part 1 before working on this unit. See these other units for more issues related to reproductive cancers:

Unit 6 - Women and Sexual Health

Unit 7 - Men and Sexual Health

Unit 17 - HIV/AIDS and Other Sexually

Transmitted Infections

Introduction

Cancer is a scary word in our communities. Cancers involving our sexual and reproductive organs can be especially hard to deal with because of the embarrassment we feel in talking about these parts of our bodies, and sometimes misinformation about why and how people get cancer. For women, however, breast and cervical cancer are important sexual health issues, just as prostate and testicular cancer are important for men to think about.

Residential schools had a big impact on attitudes. Aboriginal people learned to repress their sexuality in the schools. They also lost respect for themselves, and this makes self-care difficult.

So they often don't get screened for cancer. Our Grandmothers and Grandfathers are the ones I worry about the most because they are a group that is not being targeted for health promotion. Many of our health care workers are embarrassed to ask an older woman if she understands or participates in annual cancer screening. Many of our older community members have not been told why annual cancer screening is so important.

Cree nurse living in British Columbia

Awareness campaigns can teach women and men of all ages how self-awareness and regular testing can help prevent serious health problems. Many Aboriginal people believe that their sexual health is a very private matter. This makes public education campaigns and discussions about reproductive cancers very difficult. Culturally sensitive written materials can be one effective way to overcome this barrier. Elders can set a positive example for the young, by participating in and talking about cancer prevention and early treatment in their communities. This teaches respect for the body as the sacred house of the spirit.

The long distances between most communities and properly equipped treatment centres often prevent Aboriginal people from getting the medical care they need. Better support programs for patients and their families who have to travel long distances for treatment may help them make the decision to go for cancer treatment in the early stages of the disease.

Reproductive Cancers of Concern to Aboriginal People

Breast Cancer

I would like to tell other women to be brave. I thought that people with cancer died right away, and I would have to leave my kids behind. I hope my daughters never get it. They know how to look for the lumps. I have three granddaughters.'

As recently as 20 years ago, breast cancer was uncommon among Aboriginal women. Now breast cancer rates are about the same as for non.Aboriginal women: one in nine women will develop breast cancer, and one in twenty-seven will die of the disease. Breast cancer that is detected early through breast self-exam and mammography screening can be successfully treated.

Some things that reduce the risk of getting breast cancer are eating less fat, keeping a healthy body weight and drinking less than two alcohol drinks a day. Aboriginal women need to learn how important it is to practise breast selfexamination and participate in breast cancer screening programs. Breast self-examination is something every woman can do for herself so cancer can be detected earlier and treated. She can learn what is normal for her breasts, and then be able to notice changes. The older a woman is, the more important this becomes. Mammography, or breast cancer screening, is an x-ray of the breast.

Old women should talk to their health care providers about getting a regular mammogram.

Cervical Cancer

My advice to young women is don't be afraid to ask anything. Ask exactly what the doctor is doing. Ask the doctor why they are doing it, what are PAP tests done for? Don't be afraid to ask questions. It's your body and you have to feel confident you know what's going on. The more you learn, the more confident you can be.

Young Metis woman from British Columbia

Cervical cancer is more common among, Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal women. Cancer of the cervix (the neck of the womb or uterus) can result from abnormal changes in the cells in the cervix. Changes that can lead to cancer can be detected by a PAP test. All women who have ever been sexually active should have a regular PAP test. It is a simple test that is done in the doctor's office or health centre.

Women can reduce their risk of developing cervical cancer by delaying their first sexual activity, limiting the number of sexual partners, using condoms and not smoking. However, poor access to health care services, embarrassment and a lack of understanding of the importance of screening for their overall health, prevent a majority of Aboriginal women from having regular cancer screening done.3