September is Gynaecological Awareness Month!
According to a civil service blog on Gov.uk, there are more inequalities in Cancer morbidity and mortality amongst black women, despite equal access to the National health Service(NHS) .
Cervical cancer remains the commonest cancer amongst women under the age of 35 and posses a greater risk of death in Black Women over the age of 65 despite being preventable by upto 80% via screening according to studies done by Dr Ekechi, a London based Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, one on behalf of the Jo Cervical Cancer Trust. She also highlights the fact that deaths from endometrial cancer are highest in Black Women, a statistic also backed by a study by the in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology who suggest that this is the case because Black Women are less likely than White Women to receive an early diagnosis!
So why are Black Women more likely to die from cancer? according to a study done by the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University of Washington, some of the reasons are:
the inability to get an early diagnosis
Doctors are more likely to view black patients as medically uncooperative and that diagnosis and treatment decisions are influenced by race.
Lack of confidence by Black Women in the healthcare system due to difficult episodes and not being believed when they present with symptoms
Below are links to articles and organisations like The Eve Appeal that aim to address these issues and raise awareness about cancer and the black woman.
1)BAME women are let down by the health system – nowhere more so than in gynaecological health: https://www.google.com/amp/s/inews.co.uk/opinion/comment/bame-women-are-let-down-by-the-health-system-nowhere-more-so-than-in-gynaecological-health-288985/amp
2) Breaking Down the Taboos: Lifting the Lid off Cancer in BAME Communities: https://civilservice.blog.gov.uk/2020/10/19/breaking-down-the-taboos-lifting-the-lid-off-cancer-in-bame-communities/
3) Ciara’s Mega Mission: Stopping Cervical Cancer In Black Women: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lipiroy/2021/07/02/ciaras-mega-mission-stopping-cervical-cancer-in-black-women/
4) Gynaecological Cancers: https://eveappeal.org.uk/gynaecological-cancers/
5) One Type of Cancer is Killing Black Women at Record-High Rates: https://obgyn.uw.edu/news/one-type-cancer-killing-black-women-record-high-rates
