Racial disparities in lung cancer -- could attitudes be at play?
African-Americans have the highest incidence and death rates for lung cancer. As with many puzzling racial disparities in health, researchers don't know for sure why blacks are more likely than other racial groups to suffer from the disease. But a new study suggests blacks may hold mistaken and fatalistic perceptions toward lung cancer treatment which, coupled with a reluctance to visit the doctor, could attribute to the disparity.
Researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston wondered if perception of lung cancer among different races could explain some of the disparity. The study, appearing today CANCER, the journal of the American Cancer Society, surveyed 1,530 people from a National Cancer Institute 2005 study.
Both blacks and whites underestimated how lethal lung cancer is, with many saying that the percentage of people who survive lung cancer past 5 years is 50 percent, when the actual figure is 15 percent. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., killing 162,000 people each year.
But on other issues, blacks and whites had very different views. African-Americans were more likely than whites (53 percent vs. 37 percent) to say they were confused by too many recommendations on how to prevent lung cancer. Blacks were also less likely than whites to say the disease caused by lifestyle (i.e. smoking) --73 percent of blacks vs. 85 percent of whites.
And here's where it gets interesting: 22 percent of blacks said they would be reluctant to be checked for lung cancer symptoms because they're scared of getting a bad prognosis. That figure was just 9 percent for whites.
Now, a few caveats: The study is based on just a small survey of people -- so how representative can it be of a race of people you might ask? Good question. We have the same reservations.
Researchers acknowledge that this is just one study of the issue and cannot alone explain the complexities of racial disparities. There are, of course, a host of other factors likely at play in racial health disparities, from patients lacking insurance to possible genetic differences to doctors' attitudes in treating patients.
Still, the take home message of better outreach to minority communities is needed, researchers said.
Comments
It is apparent to me that some people do not care to prevent diseases. They may want to die as God intended.
Posted by: L Wallker | February 22, 2010 8:12 PM
There was an opportunity last year for Congress to ban menthol flavored cigarettes, but it failed because the Congressional Black Caucus opposed the ban.
Why did they oppose the ban? Because African Americans disproportionately smoke menthol flavored cigarettes. Anyone whose ever been to the BP station at Central and Orleans knows that the station posts the price for only one brand of cigarettes: Newports.
So African American lawmakers had a chance to do something to improve the health of their constituents but failed to do so. I think that instead of telling the medical community that they need to do a better job of communicating with their black patients, we should be focusing on getting black law makers to do the right thing instead of simply seeking re-election.
Posted by: UpperFells | February 23, 2010 8:15 AM
Hmm UpperFells seems to be reporting something completely at odds with what has been reported elsewhere. According to the NY TImes (July 1, 2008) in an article entitled, "Black Lawmakers Seek Restrictions on Menthol Cigarettes," Stephanie Saul reported that the Congressional Black Caucus was "taking aim at a provision in the bill that would ban candy-, fruit- and spice-flavored cigarettes but that specifically exempts menthol." In fact, the CBC was working to "strengthen the bill’s language on research and reporting about menthol and to give the Food and Drug Administration explicit authority to ban menthol."
So, in contrast, black laymakers are well aware of the danger of menthol and surprise, surprise, makers of Newports strongly work against FDA restrictions and research on menthol.
Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/01/business/01menthol.html
Posted by: seeking the truth | February 26, 2010 1:24 PM