Best Answer
One of the troubling things about breast cancer in the United States is how much more fatal it is for black women than for white women. Understanding this difference will not only help improve care for African American women, but also help explore the racial disparities that exist throughout the American healthcare system. To do this, it is important really understand the concept. What are the reasons that black women are more likely to die of breast cancer than white women? Critical to understanding this concept is the fact that, while black women are less likely to develop breast cancer than white women, they are far more likely to die as a result of the diagnosis.
There are three things you need to examine when looking at this topic: the fact that black women tend to be younger when diagnosed with breast cancer, the prevalence of more aggressive types of cancer in African American women, and higher overall mortality rates regardless of the subtype of breast cancer. You want to acknowledge all three but depending on the length of your analysis you may want to focus primarily on one of the three contributing factors.
Because researchers and medical doctors seem to think that the late stage of diagnosis is a major contributing factor to high mortality rates, we would probably focus on that component. It involves several factors. First, lack of access to medical screenings, which are often related to socioeconomic status. Second, risk factors for developing breast cancer, which can include genetic factors but are also influenced by socioeconomic class. Third, the subtype of cancer developed and its level of aggression, which may make it difficult to detect with routine screenings. Finally, the fact that black women do not get the same quality of healthcare, on average, as white women, and, therefore, might present with symptoms but still not get the required care.
