Breast Health Equity and Why it Matters
The increase of medical technology, effective treatments, and early detection screenings have decreased mortality rates of breast cancer overall. Although these excellent improvements are effective for our breast cancer community, it’s important to note that unfortunately not every population is included. This is due to the various health disparities seen within diverse populations which directly impacts their breast cancer incidence and mortality rates.
LGBTQ+ Barriers to Care
Cancer diagnoses are always frightening, but the fears that can stem as a member of an underrepresented or marginalized group, such as that which can be seen in the LGBTQ+ community can heighten anxiety exponentially. Members of the LGBTQ+ community face distinct barriers to preventative care, diagnoses, and treatment that has resulted in terrible disparities between survival rates.
The Diverse Experience of Breast Cancer
Cultural taboos within and systemic barriers against particular ethnic groups have left the Black community vulnerable to numerous inequalities in screening, diagnosing, and treatment of breast cancer which have, unfortunately, left Black women and men with the highest breast cancer mortality rate of any ethnic group in the United States.