Indianz.Com > News > Cronkite News: Program aims to address cancer disparities in Indian Country
UArizona and partners push for colorectal cancer screenings among American Indians
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Cronkite News
PHOENIX – Colorectal cancer has received a great deal of attention since actor Chadwick Boseman lost his four-year battle to the disease in August. It’s the second-leading
cause
of cancer death among Native Americans, prompting calls for increased screenings to improve detection and treatment of colorectal disease.
Donald Haverkamp, an epidemiologist with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said many factors play a role in the number of cases among Native Americans, including lack of access to health care or insurance, increased natural bacteria on some reservations and diet and lifestyle.
“Cultural beliefs can come into play as well,” he said. “There are tribes, for example, that don’t even want to mention the word cancer, for fear of bringing on that disease, bringing it onto yourself by mentioning it.”
Native Americans, along with Hispanics, have the lowest colorectal screening
rates
in the U.S., statistics show, with 48.7% of those age 50 to 75 undergoing tests in 2015. That compares with 65.4% of non-Hispanic whites.
These factors, combined with the number of American Indians who do not have health insurance or reliable transportation to cancer clinics, play a role in the high mortality rate of American Indians and Alaskan Natives diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
Check out our latest blog on Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month… Learn preventative measures, treatments and further…
Posted by Native Americans for Community Action, Inc on Thursday, October 1, 2020
Note: This story originally appeared on Cronkite News. It is published via a Creative Commons license. Cronkite News is produced by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
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