An American Health Dilemma: A Medical History of African Americans and the Problem of Race-Beginnings to 1900

Byrd, W. Michael; Clayton, Linda A.; Schissel, Carla

doi:10.1891/1062-8061.10.1.205

Cited by 56 publications

(80 citation statements)

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“…Many African Americans have a general mistrust of the health care system (116)(117)(118). This mistrust is partially rooted in the history of experimentation and abuse endured by African Americans.…”

Section: Barriers Related To Culturementioning

confidence: 99%

Social Determinants of Black-White Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality: A Review

Gerend

Pai

2008

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers &Amp; Prevention

268

213

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Despite the recent decline in breast cancer mortality, African American women continue to die from breast cancer at higher rates than do White women. Beyond the fact that breast cancer tends to be a more biologically aggressive disease in African American than in White women, this disparity in breast cancer mortality also reflects social barriers that disproportionately affect African American women. These barriers hinder cancer prevention and control efforts and modify the biological expression of disease. The present review focuses on delineating social, economic, and cultural factors that are potentially responsible for Black-White disparities in breast cancer mortality. This review was guided by the social determinants of health disparities model, a model that identifies barriers associated with poverty, culture, and social injustice as major causes of health disparities. These barriers, in concert with genetic, biological, and environmental factors, can promote differential outcomes for African American and White women along the entire breast cancer continuum, from screening and early detection to treatment and survival. Barriers related to poverty include lack of a primary care physician, inadequate health insurance, and poor access to health care. Barriers related to culture include perceived invulnerability, folk beliefs, and a general mistrust of the health care system. Barriers related to social injustice include racial profiling and discrimination. Many of these barriers are potentially modifiable. Thus, in addition to biomedical advancements, future efforts to reduce disparities in breast cancer mortality should address social barriers that perpetuate disparities among African American and White women in the United States. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(11):2913 -23) During the last two decades, there has been a growing Black-White disparity in breast cancer mortality (1). Although the overall rate of mortality from breast cancer has been decreasing since the early 1980s, this decrease has occurred at a much faster pace for White women than it has for African American women (Fig. 1). This finding is especially noteworthy because the lifetime incidence of breast cancer is actually lower, not higher, among African American women than among their White counterparts (1).What factors might be responsible for this racial disparity in mortality from breast cancer? Poorer outcomes in African American women, in part, reflect the fact that breast cancer tends to be a more biologically aggressive disease in African Americans than in White Americans (2-6). In addition to biological factors, these disparities also reflect social, economic, and cultural barriers that disproportionately affect African American women. Barriers such as poverty and racism both hinder cancer prevention and control efforts and modify the biological expression of disease (7-10). The current review focuses on delineating the social, economic, and cultural factors potentially responsible for Black-White disparities i...

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Section: Barriers Related To Culturementioning

confidence: 99%

Social Determinants of Black-White Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality: A Review

Gerend

Pai

2008

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers &Amp; Prevention

268

213

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“…This is usually done on purpose. For example, in the nineteenth century American medical doctors called, iron deficiency disease Cachexia Africana because the disease affected many African Americans who lived in slavery [82]. The sufferers of iron deficiency were known as dirt eaters.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Iodine deficiency and women’s health: Colonialism’s malign effect on health in Oromia region, in Ethiopia

Dugassa¹

2013

Health

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Objectives: Iodine is an essential nutrient needed for the synthesis of hormone thyroxin. Hormone thyroxin is involved in the metabolism of several nutrients, the regulation of enzymes and differentiation of cells, tissues and organs. Iodine deficiency (ID) impairs the development of the brain and nervous system. It affects cognitive capacity, educability, productivity and child mortality. ID hinders physical strength and causes reproductive failure. The objective of this paper is to explore if the health impacts of ID are more common and severe among women. Design: Using primary data (notes from a visit) and secondary data, this paper examines if the effects of ID are more common and severe among Oromo women in Ethiopia. Findings: The health impacts of ID are more common and severe among women. Conclusions: ID is an easily preventable nutritional problem. In Oromia, the persistence of ID is explained by the Ethiopian government's colonial social policies. Preventing ID should be seen as part of the efforts we make to enhance capacity building, promote health, gender equity and social justice. Implications: Iodine deficiency has a wide range of biological, social, economic and cultural impacts. Preventing ID can be instrumental in bringing about gender equity and building the capacity of people.

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“…Belief in the existence of relevant biological differences between blacks and whites has deep historical roots (Byrd andClayton, 2000, Hammonds andHerzig, 2009), and persisted even as medical theory moved towards universal disease concepts and therapies in the late nineteenth century. Theories of black difference have long been especially pronounced with heart disease.…”

Section: Racial Disparities Demonstrate This Wellmentioning

confidence: 99%

Coronary artery disease and the contours of pharmaceuticalization

Pollock

Jones

2015

Social Science & Medicine

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An American Health Dilemma: A Medical History of African Americans and the Problem of Race-Beginnings to 1900

Cited by 56 publications

References 0 publications

Social Determinants of Black-White Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality: A Review

Social Determinants of Black-White Disparities in Breast Cancer Mortality: A Review

Iodine deficiency and women’s health: Colonialism’s malign effect on health in Oromia region, in Ethiopia

Coronary artery disease and the contours of pharmaceuticalization

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