Reducing disparities to ensure equitable cancer prevention, care, and survivorship

Everyone should have the opportunity to benefit from high-quality cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship care. Work Stream 4 investigates why disparities exist across the cancer pathway and identifies solutions that promote more equitable outcomes for all women, regardless of their socioeconomic background, place of residence, or life circumstances.

We integrate clinical, screening, imaging, registry, and socioeconomic data to examine how factors such as education, income, country of origin, language, neighborhood, and access to healthcare influence cancer risk, early diagnosis, treatment decisions, participation in clinical trials, rehabilitation, and long-term outcomes.

A key focus is understanding and addressing structural barriers that limit access to timely, high-quality cancer care. By evaluating healthcare pathways, screening programs, and public policies, we seek to identify opportunities to improve access, reduce inequalities, and ensure that advances in cancer care benefit all populations.

The knowledge generated will inform healthcare delivery, public health initiatives, and policy development. Work Stream 4 aims to develop evidence-based strategies that improve equity across the cancer pathway—from prevention and early detection to treatment, survivorship, rehabilitation, and palliative care.

Participating investigators

Carina Bernardo, Ida Skarping, Lao Saal, Lisa Rydén, Luciana Quarantana, Niklas Loman, Päivi Kannisto, Pamela Buschwald,  Simon Timpka, Stenven Schmidt

Research focus

• Identify social, economic, and structural determinants of inequalities in women’s cancer care.
• Evaluate disparities in prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and clinical trial participation.
• Understand how healthcare systems and public policies influence cancer outcomes.
• Develop and evaluate interventions that improve equitable access to high-quality care.
• Measure the societal impact of cancer on work, family life, and healthy ageing.
• Generate evidence to inform healthcare policy and reduce disparities across the cancer pathway.