Research Can Help Close Cancer 'Race Gap'

Research Can Help Close Cancer 'Race Gap'
THURSDAY, Nov. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Collaborations betweenresearchers and community groups can help ease cancer disparities amongminority populations, researchers report.
They based their conclusions on the results of U.S. initiativeslaunched in Nashville, Tenn. and among the Navajo Nation.
Such partnerships between researchers and community groups can improvethe quality of data collection, provide new insight into socialfactors/help, and result in sustained health improvements in disadvantagedpopulations, the scientists said.
The initiatives were to be outlined Thursday in Atlanta at an AmericanAssociation for Cancer Research conference.
Like many communities across the United States, Nashville hasexperienced a large growth in its Hispanic population, a group whosehealth care needs are under-studied and not well documented in theacademic literature. In response, a group of Nashville-area researcherspartnered with community groups to survey the cancer care and preventionneeds of more than 500 Hispanics, whose average age was 35. Theinformation will be used in the development of future community programsand may help improve cancer prevention/care programs for localHispanics.
Of the respondents, 98 percent were not born in the United States; morethan half had emigrated from Mexico. The survey found that 80 percent ofrespondents didn't have health insurance, two-thirds hadn't completed highschool, and 55 percent spoke little or no English.
Out of a list of 25 health topics, cancer was rated the top healthconcern. Almost 75 percent of respondents said they wanted to learn moreabout cancer prevention and just over half said they wanted moreinformation on cancer screening. A large majority of respondents saidthey'd take part in a clinical trial to receive treatment if they hadcancer. More than 90 percent of respondents with daughters under age 18said they'd probably or definitely approve of their daughters receivingthe new human papillomovirus virus (HPV) vaccine if it were free. HPVinfection is linked with cervical cancer.
"Our local Hispanic community has grown nearly seven-fold over the lastdecade, yet we do not know much, if anything, about their cancer-relatedneeds," lead investigator Pamela Hull, associate director of the Centerfor Health Research at Tennessee State University, said in a preparedstatement. "Our survey has found that members of the Nashville Hispaniccommunity are overwhelmingly interested in cancer prevention and healthcare efforts -- including cancer clinical trials and cervical cancervaccination -- yet the community generally lacks access to care andinformation."
"Over the last 15 years of so, many smaller cities and ruralcommunities across the interior of the United States have seen a similargrowth of Hispanic immigrants moving from the states with traditionallylarger Hispanic populations," Hull said. "Our survey, and theparticipatory methods we use, could help inform these new growthcommunities about their blossoming Hispanic populations."
In general, Hispanics have lower cancer rates than whites, but havehigher rates for certain types of cancers, such as cervical, stomach,liver and leukemia, according to the American Cancer Society. Hispanicsalso have lower survival rates for most cancers. The Nashville surveyfound that cancer rates among Hispanics may vary according to theircountry of origin, Hull said.
The other researcher/community group partnerships outlined at theconference included one to help black Americans stop smoking and anotherto educate members of the Navajo Nation about colorectal cancer.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about Hispanic health issues.