Essay On Cancer In The African American Community

disparities are exclusive to certain groups of racial and ethnic populations in the nation. Health

There are several complex reasons health disparities occur in the United States and around the world. Based on the readings, health care disparity a complex problem with many variables, at the top of the list is poverty followed by ethnicity. Lack of health insurance is a persistent barrier to improving health in the poor (Koh, Oppenheimer, Massin-Short, Emmons, Geller, and Viswanath, 2010). McCarthy (2003) reports uninsured individuals are less likely to receive standard screening care and when hospitalized

African Americans carry an uneven share of the cancer load in the United States, having the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial or ethnic group for most cancers. In this article, I will provide updated data for African Americans on cancer rate, death, survival, and cancer screening. I also estimate the total number of deaths prevented among African Americans as a result of the decline in cancer death rates since the early 1990s.

Breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer among women. Despite the many technological advances that have been made to detect breast cancer at earlier stages, it continues to kill more women than any other cancer. Breast cancer affects all women, but the mortality rates from it are significantly higher in Black women than any other group (Hunt, Whitman, & Hurlbert, 2013). These rates are especially concerning when considering that White women are diagnosed at much higher rates.

Disparities of all kinds exist in modern day health care. One such disparity that is of particular interest is one that exists between Caucasian and African American women relating to their respective rates of breast cancer incidence and breast cancer survival. According to the American Cancer Society, Caucasian women have a higher incidence of breast cancer than African American women however; Caucasian women have a higher survival rate than African American women (ACS, 2006, as cited in Leshner, 2006). This is to say that although Caucasian woman have a higher rate of breast cancer compared to African American women, Caucasian women have a higher rate of survival. This finding is indeed a disparity in heath care, and one that begs the question as to why this is so. The reasons as to why this disparity exists are numerous and very complex. Several factors play a role in substantiating the disparity in mortality rates related to breast cancer in African American women, including differences in spirituality and religion, differences in education surrounding breast cancer, and differences in socio economic standing as it relates to ones health promotion

The purpose of this paper is to exemplify the healthcare crisis of African Americans within the broader context of American healthcare reform. In order for one to appreciate the depth of necessity for healthcare reform in the African American community, he or she must have a general understanding of the history of healthcare for African Americans. As stated by the institute of medicine in a study assessing the health and mental health disparities of African Americans, “The sources of these disparities are complex, are rooted in historic and contemporary inequities, and involve many participants at several levels, including health systems, their administrative and bureaucratic processes, utilization managers, healthcare professionals, and

Reducing disparities in health and healthcare have been of importance for many federal, state, private and nonprofit organizations for many years. Countless research studies have been done and continue to be conducted to understand the dynamics of health/healthcare disparities and how other factors play a role in widening the gap in health outcomes, disease burden, and mortality among different populations in the United States. Included in the conversation about disparities seen within populations and subgroups, are the concepts of equality and equity in our healthcare system. “Identification and awareness of the differences among populations regarding health outcomes and health determinants are essential steps towards reducing disparities

With this increased research and effort, Americans would be able to intervene and make positive impacts with the state, tribal, and local levels to best address health disparities and inequalities. In efforts to thwart ethnic and minority disparities, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) passed the HHS Disparities Action Plan in order to establish “a nation free of disparities in health and health care, (Cooper 97)” and to implement a series of priorities, strategies, actions, and goals to achieve this vision. States, local communities, private organizations, and providers have additionally engaged in efforts to reduce health disparities. With the HHS Disparities Action Plan, the Department continuously assess policies and programs on racial and ethnic health disparities, watching to see which policies make an impact on the level of health care received by minorities. Similarly, The Affordable Care Act (ACA) health coverage expansions significantly increase coverage options for low and moderate income populations and particularly benefit the “vulnerable populations.” The ACA also includes provisions to strengthen the safety-net delivery system, improve

As stated previously in 2014 the USA had approximately 20.3 million people who were diagnosed with cancer. When exploring the 2013 incident rates of men with cancer black men had an incident rate of 518. Compared to white men of 473.9, next came Hispanic and Asian; black males had the highest death rate among all races (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016b). In regards to women, white women had an incident rate of 417.4, followed by blacks, Hispanics, and Asians, but the highest death rate is among black women (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2016b). According to the statistics the needs for increased screening and care is needed in the African American and Hispanic community.

Among minorities such as Asians, Hispanics, Indians, Native Americans, and Middle Easterners, the African American race has been affected tremendously by the health disparities in the United States. Currently, African Americans have significantly higher mortality rates from cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV, unintentional injuries, pregnancy, sudden infant death syndrome, and homicide than do whites Americans (Fiscella & Williams, 2004). While African Americans may lead in these categories, other minorities are not far behind in experiencing health disparities.

Although the United States is a leader in healthcare innovation and spends more money on health care than any other industrialized nation, not all people in the United State benefit equally from this progress as a health care disparity exists between racial and ethnic minorities and white Americans. Health care disparity is defined as “a particular type of health difference that is closely linked with social or economic disadvantage…adversely affecting groups of people who have systematically experienced greater social and/or economic obstacles to health and/or clean environment based on their racial or ethnic group; religion; socioeconomic status; gender; age; mental health; cognitive, sensory or physical disability; sexual orientation or gender identity; geographic location; or other characteristics historically linked to discrimination or exclusion” (National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities [NPAEHD], 2011, p. 3). Overwhelming evidence shows that racial and ethnic minorities receive inferior quality health care compared to white Americans, and multiple factors contribute to these disparities, including geography, lack of access to adequate health coverage, communication difficulties between patients and providers, cultural barriers, and lack of access to providers (American College of Physicians,

Barriers in health care can lead to disparities in meeting health needs and receiving appropriate care, including preventive services and the prevention of unnecessary hospitalizations (HealthyPeople.gov, 2012). In their 2008 annual report, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality lists several disparities’ in health care. They report that racial and ethnic minorities in the United States

There are many factors that contribute to the current health status of Black Americans, but “Poverty may be the most profound and pervasive determinant of health status” (Edelman & Mandle, 2010, p. 39). Health care is expensive and can only be purchased by those who can afford to pay, so those below the poverty level are those who lack insurance. Without insurance their access to healthcare is limited, especially preventative care. No preventative care means more expensive care that comes with illness.

The health of a nation plays an integral part in the overall success and economic well being of a particular country. The United Stated, while pouring more money into the healthcare system than any other country, still stands as a broken system with inadequate care for many citizens. One of the most marginalized groups of people, African American women, continually score alarmingly low on basic measures of overall health. The healthcare discrepancies between white and black women in the United States are alarming, and they reveal flaws in the American health care system as a whole.

The United States is a melting pot of cultural diversity. For a country that was founded by individuals fleeing persecution, it has taken us many years to grant African-Americans equal rights, and even longer for those rights to be recognized. Despite all the effort to eliminate inequality in this country, health disparity among this minority group remains a significant issue. Research in this area has pointed to several key reasons for this gap that center on differences in culture, socioeconomics, and lack of health literacy.