Breast Cancer and African-American Women

Paper Summary:

This extensive paper examines a number of issues related to African-American women and breast cancer, with an emphasis on detection, treatment and survival. The paper gives a brief overview of cancer, the breast and types of breast cancers. The author then describes the purpose of this study, which was to determine the impact of racial disparity on breast cancer survival. The study also addresses socio-economic factors, such as lack of health insurance, and low incomes. The study attempts to identify the reasons why African-American women have a higher mortality rate than all other ethnic groups. Finally, the author questions whether education, community out-reach programs, resources would influence the probability of reducing breast cancer mortality rates among African-American women.

Outline:
Introduction and Problem Background
The Breast
Development of the Breast
What is Cancer?
What is Breast Cancer?
Major Types of Breast Cancers
Risk Factors for developing Breast Cancer
Purpose of Study
Research Objectives
Limitation
Assumptions
Definition of Terms
Scope of Study
Review of Related Literature
Historical and General Background
Possible Barriers to The African-American Women having Mammograms
Existing Studies
Another Study of Racial Disparities in Breast Carcinoma Survival Rates
Methodology
Instrumentation
Statistical Approach
Relevant Results and Significant Studies
Summary of the Literature Reviewed
Findings
Association Between Socio-economic Status and Breast Cancer Survival
Relationship between racial difference in treatment, and breast cancer mortality among the African-American women and the Caucasian-women
Summary, Conclusions, Recommendations
Summary
Conclusions
Recommendations
References

From the Paper:

"The incidence of breast cancer among the African-American women is slightly lower than it is for the Caucasian women. In any given year, 95 out of 100,000 African-American women are diagnosed with breast cancer, compared to 112 out of every 100,000 the Caucasian women. However, the African-American women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer after age 50 (www.netwellness.org, 2004). Breast cancer is the cancer with the second highest death rate for both the African-American women and the Caucasian women. The overall lifetime risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer is 10% for the African-American women and 14% for the Caucasian women. However, about 31 out of every 100,000 the African-American women died from the disease each year compared to just 27 out of every 10,000 the Caucasian women from 1989 to 1992, but the rate also rose by 2% for the African-American women during the same period."

Sample of Sources Used:

• American Cancer Society.http://caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/55/1/31. Retrieved 11/19/2005. Http;//caonline.amcancersoc.org/cgi/content/full/54/2/78. Retrieved 3/23/06.
• Black Women's Health. www.blackwomenshealth,com/breast-cancer2004.htm Retrieved 10/12/05
• Bourjolly, J N; Hirschman, K B. (2001) Similarities in coping strategies but differences in sources of support among African-American and White Women coping with breast cancer. Journal of Psychology Oncology, 19(2) 17-38.
• Breast Cancer. http://www.breastcancerupdate.com/recentpublication2001/psychosocial.htm Retrieved 11/19/05.
• California Cancer Journal Clinical, 2000; 50:50.64, James J. Dignam, Ph.D.

More papers on Breast Cancer and African-American Women:

• Dissertation or Thesis # 148586 : "Mammography and African American Women"
• Essay # 14288 : "Breast Cancer"
• Essay # 27513 : "Cancer and Race"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: