Latinos Develop Preventable Cancers at Higher Rate than Non-Hispanic Whites

By Consumers For Quality Care, on October 6, 2021

A new report from the American Cancer Society found that U.S. Latinos are more likely to develop potentially preventable cancers compared to non-Hispanic whites. According to Axios, the lack of access to health care for Latinos blocks the early detection of cancers, such as stomach, liver and cervical cancer.

 “The high burden of these cancers in this population could be reduced by increasing access to high-quality prevention, early detection, and treatment services.,” according to the report’s authors.

Latinos have higher uninsured rates than any other ethnicity in the United States. Between 2017 and 2018, more than one in four Latinos were uninsured, compared to just 9 percent of non-Hispanic whites. Without regular health care coverage, many consumers forgo care or face steep out-of-pocket costs.

“Addressing this critical gap for Hispanic individuals in obtaining access to high-quality cancer prevention, early detection and treatment are going to be essential for mitigating the predicted growth in the cancer burden,” said Kimberly Miller, a scientist at the American Cancer Society and lead researcher on the report.

CQC urges lawmakers and public health officials to continue to address these racial disparities in our health care system so that all consumers have equal access to treatment for all diseases, particularly those that can be prevented with early detection.