SEARCH OMHD Web site

Archived
June, 2007

Highlights in Minority Health
October, 2005

 

OCTOBER IS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
In the United States, breast cancer is the most common non-skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women 1.  The National Cancer Institute estimates that, based on current rates, 13.2% of women born today will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time in their lives 2.  Each year, a small number of men are also diagnosed with or die from breast cancer 1.
Examples of Important Health Disparities Promising Intervention Strategies Programs & Accomplishments For More Information Sources Notes
Top of Page
EXAMPLES OF IMPORTANT HEALTH DISPARITIES
Racial and Ethnic
		In 2001, the breast cancer incidence rate was 1.3 times higher for non-Hispanic whites (148.3 per 100,000) than for African Americans (111.9 per 100,000) 3.  However, In 2002 the breast cancer death rate was 1.3 times higher for African Americans (34.0 per 100,000) than for Non-Hispanic whites (25.6 per 100,000) 4.
	Table 1: Breast cancer incidence and death rates by race
	Incidence rate per 100,000 population, 2001 Death rates per 100,000 population, 2002 Whites 139.0 25.0 African Americans 111.9 34.0 American Indians / Alaska Natives 49.5 13.8 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders 97.8 12.8 Hispanic/Latinos 85.4 15.5 Non-Hispanic Whites 148.3 25.6
	Source:  NCHS, Health, United States, 2004, tables 29 and 53.
		From 1992-2000, the breast cancer 5-year survival rate was 1.2 times higher among white women (88.3%) as among African American women (74.1%) 5.
		According to the American Cancer Society, in 2000 non-Hispanic white women ages 40 and over were 1.1 times more likely to report receiving a mammogram in the prior two years (72.1%) compared to non-Hispanic African Americans (68.2%), 1.2 times more likely than Hispanic/Latinas (62.6%), 1.4 times more likely than American Indians and Alaska Natives (52.4%), and 1.3 times more likely than Asian Americans (57.0%) 6.
Immigration
		Women who were born in the U.S. were 1.7 times more likely to have a mammogram in the prior two years compared with those who lived in the U.S. for less than 10 years (71.6% vs. 41.4%) 6.
Disability
		In 1994, 53.3% of women 40 through 49 years of age with at least one functional limitation and 60.6% of women without any limitation had received mammography screening during the prior two years 7.
			The gap between women with and without functional limitations was widest among women in that age group, but the trend persisted across all examined age categories (40 years of age or younger, 40 through 49, 50 through 64, and 65 years of age or over), suggesting a need for screening interventions for women with disabilities aged 40 years of age or older.  Women younger than 40 years of age should discuss screening with their provider 7.
Income and Education
		During 1997-1999, U.S. breast cancer mortality was 41% higher for Hispanic/Latina women in high poverty areas* (19.0%) than those in low poverty areas (13.5%)** 8.
		During 1975-1999, SEER female breast cancer incidence rates were higher in lower poverty areas*, with incidence rates increasing more rapidly in lower poverty groups than in higher poverty groups 8.
		The percent of women who reported receiving a mammogram in the last year rose with education level among American women.  Compared to those with 16 or more years of education (80.1%), only 56.8% of those with 11 or fewer years of education had the screening test 6.
		Women with health insurance were 1.9 times more likely to have a mammogram in the last 2 years compared to those without health insurance (73.6% vs. 39.5%) 6.
		In 2003, breast cancer prevalence was somewhat higher among those with family income of less than $20,000 per year (1.3%) and $35,000-54,999 per year (7.3%) compared to other income brackets ($20K-$34,999: 1.1%; $55K+: 1.0%) 10.
Age
		In 2002, women ages 55-64 were 1.8 times more likely to die from breast cancer (56.2 per 100,000) as women ages 45-54 (31.4 per 100,000), and those ages 75-84 were 4.0 times more likely to die from breast cancer (125.9 per 100,000) as those ages 45-54 9.
		In 2003, the percent of Americans ages 65-74 diagnosed with breast cancer (4.1) was 3.2 times higher than those ages 45-64 years (1.3) 10.
Top of Page
PROMISING INTERVENTION STRATEGIES
Racial and ethnic minorities tend to receive lower-quality health care than whites even when insurance status, income, age and severity of conditions are comparable. Many of the differences in cancer incidence and mortality rates among racial and ethnic groups may be due to factors associated with social class rather than ethnicity. Socioeconomic status, in particular, appears to play a major role in differences in cancer incidence and mortality rates, risk factors and screening prevalence among racial and ethnic minorities 11.
Minority groups’ access to cancer care and clinical trials has been expanded to ensure that people in these communities are provided the same quality, access, and state-of-the-art technology that patients in major care centers receive 12.
Top of Page
PROGRAMS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS
WHAT CDC IS DOING:
		The National Comprehensive Cancer Control Program integrates and coordinates efforts to reduce cancer’s effects by monitoring cancer cases, developing policies to promote cancer prevention and control, developing cancer education programs, establishing intervention programs that target populations at high risk, supporting screening and education services, and evaluating programs 13.
		CDC National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) NBCCEDP provides breast and cervical cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment to low income, medically underserved, and un-insured women (emphasizing recruitment of minority women) through states, tribes and territories 14.
		CDC National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) NPCR provides funding and technical assistance to states, territories, and the District of Columbia for enhancing established cancer registries or developing and implementing new cancer registries. NPCR is essential to state cancer planning and the identification of populations that experience cancer health disparities 14.
		The Mautner Project for Lesbians with Cancer This project has been funded by the CDC for five years. The Mautner Project provides direct services to lesbians with cancer, their partners, and caregivers. This project aids in educating and informing both the lesbian community as well as the health care community of the special concerns in cancer. The Mautner Project also provides advocates for lesbian health issues in national and local arenas 14.
		REACH 2010 is a federal initiative which includes the goal of eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in health by the year 2010. This goal is one of two goals that parallels the focus of Healthy People 2010, which describes the nation's health objectives for the decade. REACH 2010 is part of the national initiative to eliminate disparities in health status experienced by racial and ethnic minority populations in six priority areas, including breast cancer 15.
Top of Page
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
	National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP)
	Cancer Prevention and Control (CPC)
		Health Disparities: Minority Cancer Awareness
		National Cancer Data
	National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP)
		Breast Cancer & Mammography Information
		Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Practices Among Hispanic and Non-Hispanic Women Residing Near the United States–Mexico Border
	National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS)
		Cancer Fastats
	Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) 2010
OTHER FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
	National Cancer Institute (NCI) Breast Cancer Home Page
		Breast Cancer: U.S. Racial/Ethnic Cancer Patterns
		Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool
		Understanding Breast Cancer Treatment
	MedLinePlus: Breast Cancer
ORGANIZATIONS
	American Cancer Society (ACS) All about Breast Cancer
	National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM)
		National Mammography Day
	Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation
	National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO)
	National Breast Cancer Coalition (NBCC)
	Breast Cancer Research Foundation
	National Breast Cancer Foundation
	breastcancer.org
Top of Page

OMHD Home | About OMHD | Sitemap | Contact OMHD
Accessibility | Privacy Policy | CDC Sitemap | Search | Health Topics A-Z

Office of Minority Health & Health Disparities (OMHD)

Please Note: Links to non-Federal organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by CDC or the Federal Government, and none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible for the content of the individual organization Web pages found at these links.