PROPOSED REMEDIATION PLAN

Proposed Remediation Plan

Proposed Remediation Plan

It is a troubling fact that certain population groups are more likely than others to develop cancer and less likely to survive it. The lack of cultural competency is a serious problem that results in greater suffering and higher death rates from cancer for multicultural patients compared to the White population as a whole. This paper gives a proposed remediation plan for a African American with a specific health disparity in cancer. (Sue 2009)

Intended to improve the ability of physicians? nurses and other health professionals to communicate with medically underserved patients about all aspects of cancer care? the new guide also documents the consequences of not delivering culturally competent cancer care at the community level. Specifically? the guide reveals major disparities in access to quality cancer care at all points in the process; from screenings and diagnosis to access to state-of-the-art cancer therapies and end-of-life palliative care. Some of the findings cited in the guide include: (Sue 2009)

African Americans have the highest death rate from colon and rectal cancer of any racial and ethnic group in the U.S. and when it is detected at a localized stage? the survival rate is 84 percent. However? only 33 percent of these cancers are detected at a localized stage.

Latinos/Hispanics have higher incidence and death rates of stomach cancer compared to non-Hispanic Whites.

Cancer is becoming the leading cause of death for Alaska Native women and is the second leading cause of death among all other Native men and women.

Chinese Americans experience the highest mortality rate for liver cancer.

The incidence and mortality from thyroid cancer are higher among Filipinos than any other ethnic group.

Cervical cancer incidence rates among Vietnamese women are more than 2 ½ times higher than rates for any other ethnic group.

Native Hawaiians have the highest mortality rates in the nation for cancers of the corpus uteri and stomach.

The Appalachian region has a higher mortality rate for all cancers than the U.S. as a whole.

In the U.S.? African American males have the highest rate of new cancer cases overall(Table 1)? and both males and females of African American race have the highest death rates (Table 2). American Indian males and African American females have the lowest cancer survival rates of any population group in the U.S. (Ahmad 2008)

Table 1: Cancer Incidence Rates? All Sites? by Racial and Ethnic Group

U.S. 2000-2007

Even greater disparities exist for specific types of cancer. In the U.S.? African American women are 15% less likely than whites to develop breast cancer? but they are 34% more likely to die from it. African American males are 62% more likely than white males to develop prostate cancer? and more than twice as likely to die from it. Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders have comparatively low incidence rates for the major cancer sites? but they have the highest incidence and death rates of all population groups for stomach and liver cancers; the incidence rate for liver cancer in this group is ...