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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new study finds minorities who feel they are being discriminated against are less likely to get important medical screenings. Researchers say this could be the driving force behind the difference that is seen in clinical outcomes among minorities.
Higher levels of health screenings lead to lower levels of death. For the research, study authors from Stanford University Center for Biomedical Ethics analyzed data on cancer screening trends among different ethnic groups. The data included information on more than 11,200 people. The respondents were asked, Was there ever a time you would have received better medical care if you had belonged to a different ethnic group? Researchers did not ask why if they said yes.
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Investigators say if a minority woman perceived racial discrimination, she was 34 percent less likely to be screened for colorectal cancer and 48 percent less likely to be screened for breast cancer. Interestingly, men who perceived discrimination were not less likely to get screened. However, men who had a regular source of health care who perceived discrimination were 70 percent less likely to get a colorectal screening.
Study authors say the consequences of not getting screened or waiting too long are dramatic. The five year survival rates for colorectal and breast cancer are 90 percent if caught early. However, if caught late that drops to 10 percent for colorectal cancer and 23 percent for breast cancer.
SOURCE: Cancer, Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 2008
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