Researchers report African Americans have the “highest death rate and shortest survival” of any racial and ethnic group in the U.S. for most cancer types. The American Cancer Society’s report on Cancer Facts and Figures for African Americans predicts 93,990 new cancer cases among men and 95,920 for women in 2016. Researchers estimate a third of those diagnosed will die. The ACS cites, in part, the reason cancer is a number one killer in our community is due to inadequate access to health care which includes screening and treatment.

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Racial bias and inequalities affect medical treatment for black patients. In a recent study published by the Journal of Clinical Oncology, cancer doctors showed implicit racial bias which negatively affected communication and patient reactions to many medical interactions.

Researchers paired 18 nonblack cancer doctors with 112 new black cancer patients at various hospitals in Detroit. The doctors completed an implicit racial bias measure before having recorded discussions with their patients. The study found that the racially biased doctors spent less time with their patients. Because of this, patients were unable to fully recall the interaction and demonstrated low confidence in recommended treatments.

So what does this mean? Distrust and racial bias are related to the action patients will take to seek treatment. To combat the problem, the study suggests that these issues be addressed in training and in practice. For patients, there are possible solutions as well. Whether you have insurance or are a self-pay patient, your doctor is getting some form of compensation to have a conversation with you. Get the full value of your bill. You have the right to get a better understanding of your treatment options and current state of your diagnosis. Also, if a doctor refuses to treat you with respect and offer adequate medical services or assistance, it may be time to contact the state medical board by filing a complaint.

There may be racial bias that affects the way we are treated, but if we fight to call out doctors performing below their medical standards and give each other recommendations to trusted professionals, we could save at least one of those 69,410 lives that we are expected to lose in 2016.

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