A recent report by the American Cancer Society revealed that while the overall risk of dying from cancer has declined in the United States over the past few decades, Black women still face disproportionately low survival rates. Despite being less likely to be diagnosed with cancer than white women, Black women are more likely to die from the disease within five years.
These disparities are especially pronounced when it comes to breast cancer, which kills Black women at a higher rate than white women, despite the fact that their rate of diagnosis is lower. Furthermore, Black women also experience higher mortality rates from cervical and endometrial cancer compared to their white counterparts.
In an effort to address these inequities, the American Cancer Society has launched the VOICES of Black Women study, which aims to enroll over 100,000 Black women aged 25 to 55 in the U.S. The study will span 30 years and examine how medical histories, lifestyle factors, and experiences of racism impact cancer risk among Black women.
Historically, Black women have been underrepresented in health research due to mistrust and exploitation. To address this issue, the VOICES study includes ethical oversight and allows participants to opt out of providing medical records. Surveys about medical history, diet, mental health, and experiences of racism will be conducted twice a year.
Enrollment in the study is open to Black women in 20 states and Washington, D.C. The ultimate goal of the study is to eliminate barriers to preventing, detecting, and treating cancer among Black women, and the findings could have transformative implications for healthcare disparities in the U.S.
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