Health Disparities

No one is safe from cancer, regardless of their gender, ethnicity or income; however, according to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), burden is greater for certain populations based on their socioeconomic status, racial/ethnic group, and cancer type. In Arizona, Hispanics and Latinos account for a third of the population and is home to a third of the American Indian and Alaska Native population in our country. Hispanics and Latinos have a lower risk for most cancers but have the highest rates for cancers associated with infection, such as liver, stomach, and cervical cancers, despite being rare in the general population.

The NCI reports that although “Hispanics/Latinos have lower incidence and death rates for the most common cancers than non-Hispanic whites, they are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stages of disease.”

According to NCI, cancer is the second leading cause of death among Native Americans (American Indians and Alaska Natives) over age 45 and American Indians and Alaska Natives continue to have the poorest five-year survival rates among all racial and ethnic groups, for all cancers combined.

The Office for Community Outreach & Engagement of the University of Arizona Cancer Center is committed to reducing these cancer health disparities by being the bridge of our Cancer Center and communities in Arizona to ensure excellence in multidisciplinary, culturally relevant research, cancer prevention, and treatment through advocacy and communication in order to increase health equity throughout our state.