A new study from the University of Wisconsin found that Black Americans and people who don’t make a lot of money are more likely to get colon cancer if they have Type 2 diabetes. This is compared to white people with diabetes. The study was done by Shaneda Warren Andersen, Tom Lawler, and Zoe Walts. They wanted to make sure they studied people from different backgrounds because other studies didn’t always do that.
The study shows that some groups of people have more health problems because they aren’t included in medical research as often and can’t always get the healthcare they need. Joshua Wright, who works at the UW Cancer Health Disparities Initiative, says that things like being able to get healthy food, exercise, and not being around a lot of pollution can affect people’s health. He also says that discrimination can make these differences worse.
Walts said it’s important to study people who are usually left out because doctors are still learning about diseases like cancer in these communities. Including more diverse people in research helps get better and fairer results.
The study suggests that we need to help these communities and make it easier for them to get healthcare. This can help make the differences in cancer rates smaller. The study also says that researchers should include people from different backgrounds in their work so that everyone can benefit from new medical discoveries.
See “Study calls attention to cancer disparities in marginalized communities” by Anna Singh on the Badger (Madison Wisconsin) Herald website (February 9, 2024)
