ESTHER BUSH
This month, the “Take Charge of Your Health Today” page focuses disparities in breast cancer outcomes. Bee Schindler, community engagement coordinator with the University of Pittsburgh’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute, and Esther L. Bush, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, spoke about this topic.
BS: Good morning, Ms. Bush. I thank you for the chance to talk with you today about breast cancer outcomes, a topic that is relevant to so many readers—especially as breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosis for women.
EB: Yes, Bee. This is a topic that most people can relate to, especially in the African American community where Black women are dying at a disproportionate rate. Research shows that the rate for white women dying from breast cancer is 22 percent, while that rate nearly doubles to 42 percent for Black women. We have to pay attention to this.
BS: Absolutely! In addition to thinking about social determinants of health—in which conditions where folks live, learn, work and play affect a wide range of health risks and outcomes—researchers note that African American women are often affected by aggressive kinds of cancer that are harder to treat. A big part of the issue is that not enough Black women have been included in research, which limits how well the disease is known, prevented, detected and treated.
EB: That’s important to mention because African Americans are on their own in advocating for their health needs. Taking charge of one’s health will lead to being able to make better health decisions. Taking charge can start by joining a research study and learning more about how to reduce the risk of getting breast cancer.
BS: I second getting more African American women involved in breast cancer research. Also, despite the disparities, survival rates are better when people see something, feel something and advocate for themselves.
EB: Thank you so much for having this conversation with me, Bee. I hope our readers take away from our conversation that it’s important to advocate for themselves when their health is concerned—to, in other words, take charge of your health. I look forward to next month as we discuss men’s health.
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