Abstract PO-033: 'Pull Up A Seat': A program shining a light on the experiences of Black women with breast cancer for healthcare providers and the scientific community

Abstract

Breast cancer incidence rates for Black women are lower than that of their white counterparts, yet the mortality of Black women is 40 percent higher. Among women under 50, the mortality disparity is even greater: double that of white women. The gap between breast cancer incidence and mortality among Black women is complex and multifactorial. Social, economic, behavioral factors may partially account for the disparity, along with historical and systemic racism causing trauma and mistrust within this community. Black women are also more likely than white women to have inadequate health insurance or access to health care facilities, which may affect access to screening, follow-up care, and completion of treatment. This study measures social, economic and behavioral factors that affect access to adequate healthcare through listening sessions entitled 'Pull Up A Seat: Shining a Light on the Experiences of Black Women with Breast Cancer’. 'Pull Ups' are events in partnership with The Tigerlily Foundation and GRASP, bringing together health equity experts, healthcare providers, scientists, researchers, clinicians and Black women with a history of breast cancer. Each meeting consists of a lecture on broad topics such as racism in medical research, clinical trial exclusion/inclusion criteria and history of mistrust from Black community. After the lecture, breakout rooms led by Black patient advocates are held for healthcare providers with the concept that patients are experts in living with the disease and have much to share – and teach – healthcare providers and researchers. Our methodology will be based on surveys post-event to attendants and an impact report with metrics and teachings to health providers and researchers to determine learning and changes to be made in practices. We believe this program created for and by black patients affected by breast cancer from across diverse and underserved populations will help increase the participation of black women with breast cancer in clinical trials through patient empowerment and health provider awareness of unconscious biases. In addition, we believe this program will result in co-creating solutions to limit barriers for Black women. Citation Format: Julia Maues, Maimah Karmo, Shanda Cooper, Sheila McGlown, Jamil Rivers, Chawnte Randall, Tania Koulakian, Christine Hodgdon, Isaac Chan. 'Pull Up A Seat': A program shining a light on the experiences of Black women with breast cancer for healthcare providers and the scientific community [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: Thirteenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2020 Oct 2-4. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2020;29(12 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-033.