Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the United States. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), African American women have a higher death rate from breast cancer than other women, even though they have a lower occurrence of breast cancer.
These racial/ethnic disparities in breast cancer are likely influenced by a variety of factors. African American women:
- May have less access to health insurance and other social and economic resources to support prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of breast cancer
- May be less likely to get prompt follow-up medical care when their mammograms show something that is not normal
- May have cancers that grow faster and are harder to treat
- May be less likely to receive high-quality treatment if they have cancer
To learn more about these and other contributing factors to health disparities in cancer, click here.
Differences in Screening, Follow Up, and Treatment
Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer. Although African American women get mammograms at about the same rate as white women, more African American women have breast cancer that has spread beyond the breast when cancer is found.
Follow-up tests and procedures may be needed when a mammogram shows something is not normal. Compared to white women, African American women have longer intervals between diagnosis of breast cancer and the start of treatment. This longer waiting period may lead to cancers that are larger and harder to treat. Fewer African American women with breast cancer receive the cancer treatment they need compared to white women with breast cancer.
In an effort to reduce the severity of breast cancer in women of all races and ethnic backgrounds, and to decrease cancer-related health disparities, the St. Mary’s County Health Department’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program offers free breast screenings and mammograms to financially eligible women. For more information about this program along with many other programs and services the health department offers women, click here.