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Special Issue "Second Edition: Cancer Health Disparities and Public Health"

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Department of Cancer Prevention & Control, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
Interests: cancer health disparities; kidney cancer; prostate cancer; cancer prevention
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Francine C. Gachupin

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Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
Interests: chronic disease; American Indians; cancer health disparity; public health
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Shaila Strayhorn

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Department of Public Health, School of Health & Applied Human Sciences, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA
Interests: racial health disparities; social support; cancer prevention

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cancer burden varies across populations, with higher incidence and mortality of specific cancer types in medically underserved populations compared to others, resulting from varying degrees of interactions between genetic/biologic, behavioral, societal, and environmental risk factors. Racial/ethnic and gender/sexual, and religious minority groups, rural populations, individuals from socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, and people living in developing nations often have multiple barriers to cancer prevention services (e.g., vaccines, tobacco cessation, and weight loss and management), screening, diagnostic care, and treatment. Upstream factors, such as structural inequality, not only affect healthcare access but also increase behavioral risk factors and environmental and occupational exposures to carcinogens in underserved populations. and other structural factors cause residential segregations; educational attainment, employment, and income disparities; and poor built environments that limit access to safe space for physical activities and nutritious foods. Patients from underserved populations often experience prejudice and/or discrimination in healthcare, or clinicians’ bias may negatively affect patient care. Cultural values or personal beliefs may also affect choice of care and treatment. During and after the COVID-19 pandemic crisis, these underlying factors were exacerbated, and racial/ethnic minority and other underserved populations experienced marked challenges undergoing cancer screening, treatment, and care. Research is necessary to further understand the underlying causes, contributing and underlying factors, intersectionality of these, and impacts on cancer screening, treatment, and care in order to develop education, outreach, policies, recommendations, and clinical practices to reduce cancer disparities and build equity in cancer prevention, treatment, and care.

Dr. Ken Batai
Dr. Francine C. Gachupin
Dr. Shaila Strayhorn
Guest Editors

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Research

Open AccessArticle

An Exploration of Black Men’s Attitudes and Experiences Communicating with Dentists about Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer

Patrick D. Smith

Darien J. Weatherspoon

Nosayaba Osazuwa-Peters

and

Kimberly Nu-Tall

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(19), 6859; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20196859 - 28 Sep 2023

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Abstract

Background: Poor oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) survival among Black men is partially due to their limited knowledge about OPCs, which is exacerbated by dentists’ limited training and discomfort in discussing OPC risk factors. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes and experiences that Black men have communicating with dentists about OPCs. Methods: To qualitatively assess these attitudes and experiences, a focus group guide and recruitment strategy were developed using a community engagement approach. Data were analyzed using grounded theory. Results: Twenty-three self-identified Black men participated in three focus groups through the Zoom platform (mean age of 46.1 years). Four main themes emerged, which identified that participants: (1) had little knowledge of OPCs; (2) felt that addressing OPC risk among Black men was not a priority for dentists; (3) stressed the importance of dentists acknowledging the complexity of how race and gender affects Black men’s healthcare experiences; and (4) expressed a benefit to receiving information from multiple social networks. Conclusion: The focus groups provided context for how dentists might engage with Black men in discussions about OPC prevention and treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Cancer Health Disparities and Public Health)

Open AccessArticle

Cancer Screening Prevalence among Participants in the Southcentral Alaska Education and Research towards Health (EARTH) Study at Baseline and Follow-Up

and

Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2023, 20(16), 6596; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20166596 - 18 Aug 2023

Viewed by 999

Abstract

Alaska Native communities are working to prevent cancer through increased cancer screening and early detection. We examined the prevalence of self-reported colorectal (CRC), cervical, and breast cancer screening among Alaska Native participants in the southcentral Alaska Education and Research toward Health (EARTH) study at baseline (2004–2006) and ten-year follow-up (2015–2017); participant characteristics associated with screening; and changes in screening prevalence over time. A total of 385 participants completed questionnaires at follow-up; 72% were women. Of those eligible for CRC screening, 53% of follow-up participants reported a CRC screening test within the past 5 years, significantly less than at baseline (70%) (p = 0.02). There was also a significant decline in cervical cancer screening between baseline and follow-up: 73% of women at follow-up vs. 90% at baseline reported screening within the past three years (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in reported breast cancer screening between baseline (78%) and follow-up (77%). Colorectal and cervical cancer screening prevalence in an urban, southcentral Alaska Native cohort declined over 10 years of follow-up. Increased cancer screening and prevention are needed to decrease Alaska Native cancer-related morbidity and mortality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Second Edition: Cancer Health Disparities and Public Health)

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