The high costs of diagnostic tests, treatment and transportation exacerbate this issue.
We have seen significant advances in breast cancer care over the past several decades that have led to a 44% decline in breast cancer mortality in the U.S. since 1989. Yet this progress has been uneven. Black women in the U.S. are about 40% more likely to die from breast cancer compared to white women, with disparities reaching as high as 50% in some areas. In 2021, Susan G. Komen released Closing the Breast Cancer Gap: A Roadmap to Save the Lives of Black Women in America, highlighting the underlying causes of the inequities in breast cancer care. The report focused on the 10 metropolitan areas in the U.S. with the greatest disparities, including North Texas.
In North Texas, Black women face significant barriers to breast cancer care across the continuum of care. There is limited access to imaging centers, particularly for those who are uninsured or on government insurance. The high costs of diagnostic tests, treatment and transportation exacerbate disparities, even when financial assistance is available at safety-net hospitals. Most resources are concentrated in the urban areas of Dallas and Fort Worth. For many, cost barriers and competing priorities, such as choosing work over health care, further delay treatment, which can be life-threatening.
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Achieving health equity is a complex challenge requiring time, research, investment, diverse voices and active listening. In 2015, Komen launched an initiative to improve breast health equity for Black women. The Breast Cancer Gap report was part of this initiative and sought to understand the causes of breast cancer inequities in this community with a focus on systemic and social determinants of health.
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In response to the report's findings and as part of our commitment to improving health outcomes for Black women, Susan G. Komen launched the Stand for H.E.R. initiative in 2021. The program aims to decrease the disparity in breast cancer mortality in the Black community by 25% beginning in North Texas and the other nine U.S. metropolitan areas featured in the report within five years of beginning work in each city. The program continues to address breast cancer disparities in the Black community nationwide. It focuses on six critical drivers of change: education, patient support, workforce development, research, and public policy and advocacy.
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Education about understanding breast cancer risk and people working in partnership with their health care provider is crucial for ensuring timely breast cancer screening and diagnosis. Delayed screenings and diagnoses lead to more advanced cases and higher mortality rates among Black women.
Supporting patients and connecting them to high-quality care is another key driver of change. The Komen Patient Care Center can help meet the needs of anyone impacted by breast cancer. Our navigators offer free, personalized navigation services to patients, caregivers and family members, including breast health and breast cancer information, access to services and resources, emotional support and more. Last year, the Patient Care Center served 2,489 Black individuals in North Texas, including providing $117,250 in financial support to breast cancer patients in this area.
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Research is an additional critical driver. Breast cancer does not manifest the same in every person; Expanding clinical trials to include more diverse participants is essential for developing treatments that could benefit everyone. Programs like Susan G. Komen's ShareForCures research registry allows people with breast cancer to contribute to research, ensuring that future discoveries impact all lives, not just a select few.
A diverse health care workforce is proven to increase access to care for communities of color, decrease implicit bias and improve communication and trust between patients and their providers.
Susan G. Komen's Patient Navigation Training Program gives navigators the tools and resources to overcome barriers for those experiencing breast health inequities and provides a peer network and support system. We've trained navigators from organizations like Parkland Health, Athelo Health and Baylor Scott & White.
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Collaboration among Black communities, health care providers, researchers and policymakers is essential to achieving health equity. This effort requires collective action, amplifying voices, supporting patient care and pushing for equity across the board, not only in health care, but in the research that fuels it. This is a shared responsibility.
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It's up to all of us to ensure that every person has access to the high-quality breast care they need. Let's take action now to make this vision a reality.
Paula Schneider is president and CEO, Susan G. Komen.
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