Breast Cancer in Racial and Ethnic Group

Breast Cancer in Racial and Ethnic Group

Introduction

Breast Cancer is considered to be second amongst the cause of mortality and morbidity in women. Medical science has progressed significantly in providing interventions and regimens that could increase the chance of livelihood. But, in the midst of such technological advancement in medical sciences, difference in the survival of breast cancer has been observed amongst racial and ethnic groups.

Problem Statement

Health disparities and survival of breast cancer in ethnic women leads to higher risk of death than non-ethnic groups.

Discussion

Background

It has been stated in several studies that African American and Hispanic White women with breast cancer are susceptible to higher risk of death and poor survival as compared to non-Hispanic Whites. This is due to differences in socioeconomic status, poor access to health care and lifestyle amongst the specific group (Li, 2005).

Factors leading to a higher rate of poor survival

Geographical Scale and Socioeconomic Status

Geographical factor plays a significant role in the increase mortality rate in Hispanic White and African American women in United States, suffering with breast cancer. It develops socioeconomic disparities through an undesirable impact on the level and quality of health care services provided to these women. Lower socioeconomic status and geographic scales have an adverse impact on the health outcomes of these cancer patients (Shavers & Brown, 2002).

Poor Treatment and Follow up

The gamut of breast cancer treatment involves regular screening, timely checkups and appropriate treatment. Lower socioeconomic status and poverty restrict ethnic women to undergo regular checkups, treatments and screening as they are expensive in health care system. Extensive delay in the treatment after abnormal screening increases the rate of spreading of cancer, poor health outcomes as a result higher rate of mortality. African American patients do not receive poor state of the art treatments by ...