A new report from the American Cancer Society (ACS) reveals significant disparities in cancer care for Hispanic people in the United States. The report, published in Cancer Facts & Figures for Hispanic/Latino People 2024-2026, highlights that obstacles to care, such as structural racism, poverty, and language barriers, contribute to lower cancer screening, early detection, and survival rates for Hispanic individuals compared to white individuals.
The report indicates that Hispanic people are the second largest and youngest racial/ethnic group in the US, comprising about 19% of the total population. Despite this, they face considerable challenges in accessing quality healthcare. The majority of Hispanic people in the US identify as Mexican, followed by Puerto Rican, Salvadoran, Cuban, and Dominican. However, cancer data is only available for Hispanic people in aggregate, not by specific ethnic groups.
The ACS report emphasizes that most differences in cancer occurrence and outcomes among Hispanic populations are due to the prevalence of risk factors and access to qualitoutside the US, largely due to the adoption of unhealthy behaviors that increase cancer risk.
To address these disparities, the report suggests using culturally appropriate lay health advisors and patient navigators, combined with targeted community-based intervention programs, to facilitate access to screening and promote healthy behaviors.
See “Cancer Care Lags for Hispanic People in the US” (September 13, 2024)
