Analyzing Cancer in Minority Groups
The American Cancer Society publishes detailed analyses of cancer in minority populations including incidence and mortality trends, as well as the latest information on risk factors, early detection, treatment, and current research. These publications include Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanics/Latinos and Cancer Facts & Figures for African Americans.
Research and Training Grants in Disparities
The American Cancer Society (ACS) funds scientists and medical professionals who study cancer. We also fund health professional training grants for nurses, social workers, and doctors to help advance their education and experience cancer research.
66
Grants
Total Grants in Effect for Disparities Research as of August 1, 2019
$52
Million
Total Grants Funding for Disparities Research as of August 1, 2019
Spotlight on Cancer Disparities Grantees
We use a rigorous and independent peer review process to select the most innovative research projects to support. Here are some examples of the research areas and scientists the American Cancer Society funds.
Developing a Spiritually-Sensitive Palliative Care Program for Muslim Cancer Patients in the US
Do African Americans and Latinos with Diabetes Have a Higher Risk for Pancreatic Cancer?
Creating a Cancer-Specific Health Insurance Decision Guide for Patients
Studying Disparities in Cervical Cancer Treatment to Increase Survivorship Within US Hispanic and Other Minority Populations
From Our Researchers
The American Cancer Society employs a staff of full-time researchers who relentlessly pursue the answers that help us understand and eliminate cancer and health disparities.
Disparities Research Informs Advocacy and Policy Actions
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. Its role is to support evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. American Cancer Society (ACS) researchers collaborated with ACS CAN staff to create the Cancer Disparities: A Chartbook.
The Chartbook describes how certain groups of people in the US are not benefitting from health care services such as cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. It also highlights some of the biggest barriers to care for these groups.
Each section of the Chartbook includes current facts from ACS researchers, along with many tables, graphs, and charts. It’s followed by what actions ACS CAN is working on, which are informed by those facts.
Sections include:
- Disparities in Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Survival
- Disparities in Access to [Health Insurance] Coverage
- Disparities in Cancer Screening and Early Detection
- Disparities in Cancer Prevention, including information about tobacco use, HPV vaccination, sun exposure, and excess weight and obesity
ACS CAN is attacking disparities by changing or adding new evidence-based public health policies at the local, state, and federal levels. The goal of ACS CAN is to reduce these disparities and improve health outcomes for all US population groups regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or zip code.
A PDF copy of the Chartbook can be downloaded and printed from the ACSCAN web site: www.fightcancer.org
Studying Cancer Disparities
The American Cancer Society’s internal research team is:
- Analyzing data on an ongoing basis from Cancer Prevention Study II (CPS-II) to explore disparities issues. We are also conducting a new multi-year cancer prevention study, CPS-3, to better understand various cancer issues including disparities.
- Publishing high-impact studies looking at personal barriers and health systems barriers to cancer care including financial issues (also called financial toxicity) and geographic availability of health care providers.
- Researching the use of technology to help certain medically underserved populations get access to health information, preventive services, and evidence-based behavioral ways to change behaviors that may increase cancer risk.
- Studying how taxes on tobacco may affect health disparities.
ACS Is Learning How to Better Integrate Health Equity into Our Organizational Practices and Culture
ACS researchers and the researchers we fund do a lot of work to better understand what health disparities exist, what causes them, and how to decrease them. Still, as all of the ACS Blueprints for Cancer Control stress, we want and need to do more.
A partnership with, and a 3-year grant (2018 to 2020) from, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is helping us do that. The RWJF is the largest philanthropic organization focused on health in the United States. They’re committed to working with others to build a “Culture of Health” that provides everyone with a fair and just opportunity for well-being. The purpose of RWJF’s grant to ACS is to advance the culture of health and make health equity a shared value for ACS staff, volunteers, partners, and the community.
The goal of the initiative is for the ACS to enhance the integration of health equity into our organization, including collaborations with communities. ACS will assist community leaders in implementing proven/promising strategies to address topics such as:
- Financial hardship, including exploring a partnership with private organizations on paid family and medical leave, living wage polices, and financial capability service
- Food insecurity
- Transportation and mobility challenges
ACS researchers is supporting the work of the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago. NORC will conduct site visits to community projects. They will interview program leaders, conduct focus groups, and survey community leaders. That allows NORC to have an on-the-ground perspective of how communities are integrating health equity and social determinants of health into their organizations and their work.
More About Our Cancer Health Disparities Work
From advocating for change to fundraising for research, we’re working hard to address cancer health disparities.