Racial Disparity in Breast Cancer Mortality
Creators: name: University Of California Office Of The President
Publisher: name: University of California Office of the President
publisherIdentifier: https://ror.org/00dmfq477
publisherIdentifierScheme: ROR
Year: 2024

description: There are significant differences in breast cancer death rates among different racial groups, and these differences have increased over the last decade. African American women have lower rates of breast cancer than white women, but higher mortality rates. Additionally, African American women have not seen the same improvements in mortality over the last decade that have been achieved by white women; thus, the mortality gap has been increasing. Hispanic and Asian women tend to have lower mortality rates than white women, although these groups also have not seen the same improvements in mortality over the last decade as have been seen in white women. Although the reasons for racial disparity in breast cancer mortality are not known, several factors may play a role, including the biology of breast cancer, differences in screening mammography use, the quality of breast cancer treatment, and differences in social/cultural factors that affect interactions with health care systems.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 This research will address the question what are the causes for different rates of breast cancer deaths among women from different racial and ethnic groups.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 In order to disentangle the reasons for racial disparities in breast cancer mortality, it is necessary to compare the breast cancer features (such as stage of disease at diagnosis, breast cancer treatments) in a population of women where the use of screening mammography, breast cancer treatments, and other relevant variables are known. We propose to analyze data from two large, population-based data sources. These data will include approximately 95,000 women with breast cancer diagnosed between 1992-2001, including 5880 African Americans, 3240 Hispanics, and 2573 Asian women. Additionally, we propose to conduct interviews of a group of 200 women who were diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer to identify additional factors associated with late presentation to care, such as low literacy and preferences and access to different types of screening and treatment.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 This research makes use of two very large, ethnically and racially diverse, comprehensive and population-based databases that will allow us to address questions regarding racial/ethnic disparities in breast cancer mortality. We will simultaneously look at several factors that might suggest that the biology of cancer, screening, or treatment might be particularly important and causal for the racial disparity in mortality, and this has not been done previously. Additionally, because racial disparities have been partially explained by later stage at presentation, our interviews with women who have fallen between the cracks of our health care systems of early detection and treatment will provide valuable information regarding a group of women who it is particularly important to reach in order to improve breast cancer mortality. Patients from California with late-stage presentation have not been interviewed previously and their experiences will give us valuable insights into why these women present late for care when their disease is less curable.