Why Cancer Care Systems are Insufficient for People with Disabilities? A Middle Eastern Perspective

Cancer care systems in the Middle East face significant challenges, with people with disabilities experiencing compounded barriers to accessing equitable care, leading to suboptimal outcomes for this vulnerable population. Despite advancements in oncology, the unique needs of this population remain insufficiently addressed within the region's healthcare systems. We discuss the present drawbacks and challenges in the Middle Eastern cancer care systems for people with disability, providing practical recommendations to improve the quality of care for this vulnerable population.

Based on the current literature, policy documents, and expert opinions, a critical discussion is presented in this article, adopting a conceptual framework from the Model of Healthcare Disparities and Disability.

Key findings were categorized into environmental factors, personal factors, and healthcare access issues. Widespread inadequacies in healthcare accessibility were recorded, including physical barriers in healthcare infrastructure, limited availability of disability-sensitive services, and lack of training in disability-sensitive care for healthcare professionals in region's most countries. Personal factors, such as low health literacy and sociocultural stigmas surrounding both disability and cancer further affect access to care, probably more significantly in women. Environmental factors, such as financial difficulties, compounded by the lack of targeted subsidies for cancer patients with disabilities, double the burden from policy and data gaps, preventing effective implementation of inclusive healthcare strategies.

Addressing barriers to cancer care for people with disabilities in the Middle East requires a coordinated, multisectoral approach. Recommendations include policy reforms to enforce accessibility standards, investments in inclusive infrastructure, expansion of financial support mechanisms, and integration of disability-sensitive training into medical education.

To provide equitable cancer care, nurses must adopt a disability-sensitive approach emphasizing personalized, compassionate, and culturally aware practices. This requires specialized training in understanding the unique needs of patients with physical, sensory, or cognitive impairments, as well as the integration of assistive technologies and effective communication strategies into daily care routines. Nurses should also advocate for accessibility within healthcare institutions of the Middle East, identifying and addressing structural gaps affecting access to care for patients with disabilities.