Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2003 Feb;93(2):292-8.
doi: 10.2105/ajph.93.2.292.

Cancer-related health disparities in women

Karen Glanz  1 , Robert T Croyle, Veronica Y Chollette, Vivian W Pinn
Affiliations

Cancer-related health disparities in women

Karen Glanz et al. Am J Public Health. 2003 Feb.

Abstract

Objectives: This article synthesizes information about cancer in 9 populations of minority women: Mexican American, Puerto Rican, Cuban American, African American, Asian American, Native Hawaiian, American Samoan, American Indian, and Alaska Native.

Methods: Cancer registry data, social indicators, government sources, and published articles were searched for information on the background and cancer experience of these 9 racial/ethnic groups.

Results: Approximately 35 million women in these racial/ethnic groups live in the United States, and their numbers are increasing rapidly. Since 1992, incidence rates for major cancer sites have slowed or decreased among these groups, but declines in mortality have not occurred or have been smaller than for Whites. Gaps in early detection have narrowed, but minority women still lag behind Whites. Smoking and obesity remain common in these populations.

Conclusions: More culturally appropriate interventions and research are needed, and these efforts must involve the community and raise the quality of health services.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Health, United States, 2000. With Adolescent Health Chartbook. Hyattsville, Md: National Center for Health Statistics; 2000.
    1. Miller BA, Kolonel LN, Bernstein L, et al, eds. Racial/Ethnic Patterns of Cancer in the United States, 1988–1992. Bethesda, Md: National Cancer Institute; 1996. NIH publication 96-4104.
    1. Howe HL, Wingo PA, Thun MJ, et al. Annual report to the nation on the status of cancer, 1973 through 1998, featuring cancers with recent increasing trends. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2001;93:824–842. - PubMed
    1. Committee on Cancer Research Among Minorities and the Medically Underserved, Institute of Medicine (Haynes MA, Smedley BD, eds). The Unequal Burden of Cancer: An Assessment of NIH Research and Programs for Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1999. - PubMed
    1. Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health. Washington, DC: US Dept of Health and Human Services; 2000.

Publication types

MeSH terms