How structural racism can kill cancer patients

Effect of Neighborhood and Individual-Level Socioeconomic Factors on Colorectal Cancer Screening Adherence

“…Recent studies present findings of associations between the perception of racial discrimination and increased likelihood to forego and underutilize care [ 37 ]. While it is unlikely that individual perception of general racial discrimination is responsible for all health disparities in preventative services, such as cancer screenings [ 25 ], these patterns reflect prior studies highlighting the presence of systemic racism and its intersectional role with other individual and neighborhood SES factors to impact health outcomes, such as screening adherence, particularly with NHB participants [ 61 , 62 ]. Thus, investigations into discrimination beyond the NIMHHD framework, perhaps based on the discrimination-focused ecosocial framework proposed by Krieger [ 63 ], are warranted in future cancer studies.…”

Disparities in Care Management During Terminal Hospitalization Among Adults With Metastatic Cancer From 2010 to 2017

“…The least studied and arguably the biggest challenge in addressing cancer care disparities is structural bias . Previous work has reported high rates of aggressive care and low rates of advanced care planning among minority groups despite previous end-of-life care discussions with a practitioner as well as fewer positive nonverbal communication cues from practitioners during end-of-life care discussions with Black patients compared with White patients .…”

“…The least studied and arguably the biggest challenge in addressing cancer care disparities is structural bias. [38][39][40] Previous work has reported high rates of aggressive care and low rates of advanced care planning among minority groups despite previous end-of-life care discussions with a practitioner 24,41 as well as fewer positive nonverbal communication cues from practitioners during end-of-life care discussions with Black patients compared with White patients. 42 These findings necessitate further investigation of the challenges encountered by patients from minority groups regarding end-of-life care management that may be associated with other factors, including possible racial discrimination.…”

The intersection of racism, discrimination, bias, and homophobia toward African American sexual minority patients with cancer within the health care system

“…In a later study, a lack of physician cultural competency was found to be one of the key causes of racial disparities in cancer outcomes 14 . It was only after social scientists partnered with medical scientists that cancer researchers began to acknowledge that entrenched inequities, especially structural racism, are the risk factors for poorer cancer outcomes, not biological differences: “Decades of structural racism and mistrust have led to countless preventable cancers.” 15 …”

“…14 It was only after social scientists partnered with medical scientists that cancer researchers began to acknowledge that entrenched inequities, especially structural racism, are the risk factors for poorer cancer outcomes, not biological differences: "Decades of structural racism and mistrust have led to countless preventable cancers." 15 Only in 2021 have several prominent organizations acknowledged that systemic racism affects health. For example, the National Institute for Health Care Management issued a widely disseminated article demonstrating the health care disparities that are the effect of systemic racism on Black Americans.…”