Cancer disparities exist despite good insurance

Despite having equal access to health care through military health insurance, black women with breast cancer are less likely than white women to receive certain aggressive treatments, according to the findings of a new study. Black and white women were equally likely to have either a breast-removing surgery. However, black women who had tumors that had spread beyond the breast were less likely to receive chemotherapy or hormonal therapy in addition to the surgery. The reasons for these inequities range from higher rates of poverty to lower rates of health insurance to a greater likelihood of having hypertension (see Reuters Health report from March 12, 2009). Shriver's group found, nonetheless, that after breast surgery, the black patients whose cancer had spread beyond the breast were 60 percent less likely to receive chemotherapy and 50 percent less likely to receive hormonal therapy than white patients with similar cancers. Black women who had tumors confined to the breast were just as likely to receive chemotherapy and hormonal therapy as white women. Cultural factors might be influencing women's choices. There is also the possibility of a data collection problem. If a patient has private insurance in addition to insurance through the Department of Defense, the private insurance would be billed first, and Shriver's team would not be able to track that woman's treatment.

Source:Msnbc

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