"Below their notice": exploring women's subjective experiences of cancer system exclusion.
BACKGROUND
The experiences that marginalized breast cancer populations have in common are rarely considered.


METHODS
The authors look across 3 qualitative studies to explore the experiences of older, lower-income, and Aboriginal women diagnosed with cancer and treated by the cancer care system in Ontario, Canada.


RESULTS
The research examines critical moments in participants' narratives that parallel one another and are categorized within 2 themes: Not Getting Cancer Care and Not Getting Supportive Care.


CONCLUSIONS
Although exploratory, the findings merit attention both for what they tell us about women's experiences, and because they suggest disparities in access to treatment and psychosocial support.
Gould
Judy
J
Women's College Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario. judygould@rogers.com
Sinding
Christina
C
Mitchell
Terry L
TL
Gustafson
Diana L
DL
Peng
Ito
I
Mcgillicuddy
Patti
P
Fitch
Margaret I
MI
Aronson
Jane
J
Burhansstipanov
Linda
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D005833:Genital Neoplasms, Female / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D004930:Inuit / Q000523:psychology*; D011203:Poverty; D016387:Women's Health