Georgia's Online Cancer Information Center

Survivorship Disparities

National Cancer Institute - Cancer Health Disparities

 

The American Association of Cancer Research defines cancer survivorship as encompassing three different phases: the time from diagnosis to the end of initial treatment, the transition from initial treatment to extended survival, and long-term survival. While each phase of cancer survivorship has its unique challenges, groups of cancer survivors experiencing health disparities can have additional adverse outcomes. What is a health disparity?

Health disparities can be found in almost every diagnosis and medical situation. Risk factors, along with population descriptions, contribute to disparities for cancer survivors. Some risk factors include, but are not limited to, genetic and biological factors, healthcare access, socioeconomic factors, chemical and physical exposures, diet, and physical activity. The effect on health outcomes from survivorship disparities can be seen within specific groups of the population described by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, and education level.

A large disparity seen in Georgia affecting cancer care, especially survivorship care, is rural living. Underserved and uninsured populations including racial and ethnic minorities and residents of rural areas experience an increased incidence of cancer, higher mortality rates, and later stages of diagnosis. To address this complex issue, Georgia CORE has become a leader in advancing cancer-focused health equity and created partnerships designed to reduce disparities in access to clinical trials, cancer screening, navigation and genetic risk assessment. Georgia CORE is committed to improving the quality of cancer for all Georgians and closing the gap in health disparities.

 

Examples

Breast Cancer

African American women are nearly twice as likely as white women to be diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer and are much more likely than white women to die from breast cancer.

Liver Cancer

Rates of liver cancer are higher among American Indians/Alaska Natives and Asian and Pacific Islanders than other racial/ethnic groups.

Cervical Cancer

Women in rural areas are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer as women in more urban areas.

Education

People with higher education are less likely to die prematurely from colorectal cancer than those with less education. 

Rural Areas

Rates of colorectal, lung, and cervical cancers are higher in rural Appalachia than urban areas in the same region.

Examples have been adapted from The National Cancer Institute

 

Last Updated: 2/23/2022 1:42:56 PM

Additional Resources

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