Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2009

Publication Title

Breast Cancer Research and Treatment

Volume

113

Issue

3

First Page

595

Keywords

Adult, African Americans, Age Factors, Aged, Breast Neoplasms/economics, Breast Neoplasms/epidemiology, Breast Neoplasms/therapy, European Continental Ancestry Group, Female, Health Services Accessibility, Healthcare Disparities/statistics & numerical data, Humans, Health Insurance, Medically Uninsured, Michigan/epidemiology, Michigan/ethnology, Middle Aged, Quality of Health Care, Registries, Survival Analysis

Last Page

600

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study examined whether race/ethnicity had differential effects on breast cancer care and survival across age strata and cohorts within stages of disease.

METHODS: The Detroit Cancer Registry provided 25,997 breast cancer cases. African American and non-Hispanic white, older Medicare-eligible and younger non-eligible women were compared. Successive historical cohorts (1975-1980 and 1990-1995) were, respectively, followed until 1986 and 2001.

RESULTS: African American disadvantages on survival and treatments increased significantly, particularly among younger women who were much more likely to be uninsured. Within node positive disease all treatment disadvantages among younger African American women disappeared with socioeconomic adjustment.

CONCLUSIONS: Growth of this racial divide implicates social, rather than biological, forces. Its elimination will require high quality health care for all.

DOI

10.1007/s10549-008-9960-1

Download

Share

COinS