Disparities Committee
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Why? Nobody in Delaware should have a higher risk of getting cancer and dying from it due to his or her racial or ethnic backgorund.

Particularly at risk are American American men for prostate cancer and African American women for colon and breast cancer. Our goal is to treat every Delawarean equally. Although cancer screening rates are equal between Caucasians and African Americans, African Americans are more likely to die from prostate and colon cancer. We must reach out farther and with greater accuracy to understand the source of the disparity—examining access to care, timeliness of care or quality of care, for example—and put services in place to eliminate it.

ARE SOME OF US MORE LIKELY TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS THAN OTHERS?

  • The mortality rate for prostate cancer for African American men is twice that of Caucasian males.
  • Although the incidence rate for breast cancer for African American women is lower, the mortality rate is more than 30% higher.
  • The mortality rate for colon cancer is still higher for African Americans than
    for Caucasians.

WHAT CAN BE DONE

  • Engage at-risk populations in health screenings where they live.
  • Improve data collection regarding disparities.
  • Improve prostate cancer screenings among African American men.
  • Improve colon and breast cancer screenings among African American women.
  • Study how we’re treating colon cancer to determine if there are better interventions.
  • Find out how our programs are being received in at-risk communities.
  • Get more at-risk individuals to learn about and enroll in clinical trials.
Click each goal to read about the objectives, tasks and timeframes.
Goal 1: Increase the data available on Hispanic residents.
Goal 2: Improve prostate cancer screening and mortality rates among Delaware’s African American men.
Goal 3: Reduce colorectal and breast cancer mortality among African American women in Delaware.
Goal 4: Improve data related to impact and effectiveness of DCC-recommended programs with emphasis on reduction of racial and ethnic disparities.
Goal 5: Achieve equal rates of clinical trial participation among minorities and Caucasians.
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