Increasing Health and Quality of Life through Stigma Reduction, Early Detection, and Better Palliative Care

In the United States, providing palliative care soon after a cancer diagnosis has been shown to improve patient outcomes. Unfortunately, in low- and middle-income countries, palliative care services and pain medications are not widely available. This is due to stigmas around cancer, lack of patient advocacy, and reduced resources. In collaboration with St. John’s Medical College, Dr. Maria Ekstrand has been conducting research in India since 1995, with the aim of reducing stigma and suffering among patients with HIV/AIDS. Noticing the growing number of cancer patients and the lack of appropriate care services, Dr. Ekstrand has begun to extend her insights into palliative care and early detection for cancer patients.

Knocking Down Barriers to Palliative Care in India
Dr. Ekstrand investigates stigma as a barrier to the provision of and access to palliative care among patients with advanced cancer in India. Through collaborations with St. John’s Medical College, she is advancing studies to identify the role of stigma in pain relief and palliative care at the level of policy makers, oncologists, families, and patients. The intention is to guide doctors toward best practices for better patient outcomes within their own cultural context. In addition, Dr. Ekstrand serves as faculty for the “Mentoring the Mentors” workshop, recently held at St. John’s which provides training to mid- to senior-level faculty from South Asian institutions.

Publications:

Rao A, Ekstrand M, Heylen E, Raju G, Shet A. Breaking Bad News: Patient Preferences and the Role of Family Members when Delivering a Cancer Diagnosis. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2016;17(4):1779-84. PMID: 27221852.