"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.
Women's College Research Institute, Toronto, Ontario. judygould@rogers.com
Judy
J
Gould
Christina
C
Sinding
Terry L
TL
Mitchell
Diana L
DL
Gustafson
Ito
I
Peng
Patti
P
Mcgillicuddy
Margaret I
MI
Fitch
Jane
J
Aronson
Linda
L
Burhansstipanov
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