Ethnicity and cancer outcomes: behavioral and psychosocial considerations

Abstract

Cancer has been the subject of thousands of behavioral and psychosocial studies. The literature has focused largely on non-Hispanic Whites, despite the fact that cancer outcomes vary by ethnicity. This article provides a review of those studies that do consider the relations between ethnicity and cancer-related adherence behaviors, survival, and quality of life. The authors propose a mediational framework that links ethnicity and cancer outcomes through socioeconomic status, knowledge and attitudes, and access to medical care. They use this framework to organize the literature and to develop recommendations for future research.