On May 7th, The American Cancer Association announced that they were launching a “Voices of Black Women Study. It would be the biggest study that shows the results of Black Women who have cancer and how it affects them.
According to the Cancer Facts and Figures for African American/Black People, the highest in terms of death rates and shortest survival rates for most cancers compared to other races. The death rate for Black women is 21 percent compared to White women which is 20 percent. Breast Cancer is the highest form of cancer among Black Women as well as Lung and Bronchus.
Health Disparities are often the reason as to why the mortality rate for Black women with Cancer is so high. One of those disparities is structural racism, which is discrimination that is within culture, history, ideology and sanctioned practices. Other reasons could also be socioeconomic circumstances and access to care.
The study also shared that Black people have a bigger mistrust with the medical system than other races. This can cause lower cancer screenings, quality of life in Black prostate cancer and underrepresentation in clinical trials among the Black population. Because of this research, ACS and the American Society Cancer Action Network are committed to ending discrimination among cancer patients, expanding access to care services, and focusing more on disease prevention among the health care system.
Writer: @rayvensierraa--Source: The American Cancer Association--Image: NC Central University
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