With the annual October campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer in full swing, advocates urge Black women to adopt preventive interventions. They also call for reduction of racial disparities that contribute to higher mortality rates for Black women.
Although Black women get breast cancer at a 3 percent lower rate than white women, they are 40 PERCENT MORE LIKELY TO DIE of breast cancer than white women according to the CDC. That is an astounding number.
What is happening? Higher death rates occur because Black women:
- Are more likely to have triple-negative breast cancer, a kind of breast cancer that often is aggressive and comes back after treatment
- Are often at a more advanced stage upon detection
- Don’t get the same prompt high quality treatment as white women
- May not have access to health care or health insurance so may have longer intervals between mammograms
“We urge Black women to get regular breast screenings, follow up any findings aggressively, and seek out the best health care providers. It is also vital to reduce the risk factors that raise their chances of getting breast cancer."
Advocates and public officials must continue working tirelessly to reduce health care disparities and ensure fair and equitable access to quality health care for women of color.
