Breast cancer mortality: A social justice perspective.

摘要

Disparities in breast cancer mortality are explored through a complex set of political and economic circumstances. The forms of social injustices derived from inequitable income distribution and through systematically diminishing resources for social programs are central to this research. Quantitative research methods are used to determine if political, economic and demographic factors are associated with breast cancer mortality. Using data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's: Monitoring the Health Care Safety Net Dataset for States and Counties, the results demonstrate that communities that have hospitals with a major teaching status have an effect on breast cancer mortality. The results also showed that race had a minimal effect on the breast cancer death rate in the presence of political and economic factors. However, these results do not explicitly confirm that breast cancer mortality can be explained from a political and economic perspective or that race determines causality. A qualitative analysis is performed and serves to supplement the quantitative findings. A case study analysis of four states with high and low income inequality examines if investing in critical resources for a breast cancer screening program could offset mortality. The results did not substantiate that investing in targeted recruitment of selected groups, outreach activities or funding resources results in lower mortality.;This research broadens existing scientific perspectives that address the impact of race, culture and poverty on mortality. The social construction of race and disease impacts program delivery and funding on current breast cancer prevention programs. Such programs devise behavioral models as a preventative measure. Programs that integrate political and economic factors could be a crucial determinant to improving breast cancer outcomes.