The Costs of Cancer: Part Two
There are several theories that explain why blacks have higher mortality rates from cancer. They range from lack of adequate healthcare to distrust of the medical community. Lack of insurance is certainly a problem. Almost 20% of African Americans, compared with 10.4% of non-Hispanic whites, were uninsured in 2007, according to “Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Policy in the United States,†a U.S. Census report. Dr. Stephen B. Thomas, director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Minority Health, says insurance is important, but adds that it is not a substitute for education and prevention. “We’ve missed the focus,†Thomas says. “We focus on getting people insurance, but will they use it? Even if they have the insurance, if they don’t trust the medical care system they’re not going to use it.â€
