scholarly journals Genetic Contributions to Prostate Cancer Disparities in Men of West African Descent

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jabril R. Johnson ◽  
Leanne Woods-Burnham ◽  
Stanley E. Hooker ◽  
Ken Batai ◽  
Rick A. Kittles
Keyword(s):  
Prostate Cancer ◽  
African Descent ◽  
African Ancestry ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Population History ◽  
International Agency ◽  
Cancer Society ◽  
Central Regions ◽  
Genetic Contributions

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of death in men worldwide, after adjusting for age. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, continents such as North America and Europe report higher incidence of PCa; however, mortality rates are highest among men of African ancestry in the western, southern, and central regions of Africa and the Caribbean. The American Cancer Society reports, African Americans (AAs), in the United States, have a 1.7 increased incidence and 2.4 times higher mortality rate, compared to European American’s (EAs). Hence, early population history in west Africa and the subsequent African Diaspora may play an important role in understanding the global disproportionate burden of PCa shared among Africans and other men of African descent. Nonetheless, disparities involved in diagnosis, treatment, and survival of PCa patients has also been correlated to socioeconomic status, education and access to healthcare. Although recent studies suggest equal PCa treatments yield equal outcomes among patients, data illuminates an unsettling reality of disparities in treatment and care in both, developed and developing countries, especially for men of African descent. Yet, even after adjusting for the effects of the aforementioned factors; racial disparities in mortality rates remain significant. This suggests that molecular and genomic factors may account for much of PCa disparities.

scholarly journals Age-Standardized Mortality Rates in the Caribbean: One Source, Three Different Interpretations

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement 1) ◽  
pp. 26s-26s
Author(s):  
Nicholas G. Wolf ◽  
Camille Morgan ◽  
John S. Flanigan
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Mortality ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Virgin Islands ◽  
International Agency ◽  
World Population ◽  
Us Virgin Islands ◽  
The Caribbean ◽  
Mortality Estimates

Abstract 74 Purpose A recent publication in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) provided the opportunity to calculate differences in published cancer mortality estimates for Caribbean jurisdictions from three organizations, MMWR, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. This comparison study serves to educate end users of these data. Methods We downloaded the publicly available cancer mortality estimates for 15 jurisdictions and the United States from the three organizations. We compared reported age-standardized mortality rates for each jurisdiction, and calculated the range among the estimates for each jurisdiction. We repeated this analysis after applying the same world population standard to all estimates. Results For males, ranges of Caribbean estimates were between 49% (Grenada and Trinidad) and 201% (US Virgin Islands) of the MMWR value, with an average of 88%. For females, ranges were between 15% (Trinidad) and 171% (US Virgin Islands) of the MMWR value, with an average of 64%. After all estimates were compared using the same population standard, ranges of Caribbean estimates for males were between 6% (Grenada) and 111% (US Virgin Islands) of the MMWR value, with an average of 34%. For females, ranges were between 7% (Grenada) and 97% (US Virgin Islands), with an average of 28%. Conclusion The use of different standard populations complicates comparisons across organizations. Data modeling does not completely compensate for the quality of source data, as our analysis has demonstrated by the differences in mortality rates despite the good quality of the vital registration in the Caribbean. AUTHORS' DISCLOSURES OF POTENTIAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST No COIs from the authors.

Loss and Grief

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Breyer ◽  
Aurora Sanfeliz
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Pediatric Oncology ◽  
The United States ◽  
Mortality Rates ◽  
Cancer Society ◽  
Loss And Grief ◽  
Death Of A Child ◽  
History Of ◽  
Loss Of A Child ◽  
Child's Death

There are many types of loss, but in most Western cultures, the death of a child is considered the most difficult loss because of the symbolic meaning and value associated with having children (Rubin & Malkinson, 2001). In such cultures, the death of a child is considered “out of order” and shatters basic expectations regarding the sequence and predictability of events (Rando, 1983; Schmidt, 1987). The loss of a child challenges the evolutionary role of the parent as “protector” and may result in feelings of despair, isolation, and guilt (Finkbeiner, 1996). This reaction to losing a child is perhaps related to the lower mortality rate experienced in many Western cultures. Cultures with higher infant mortality rates may view the significance of a child’s death differently (Eisenbruch, 1984a). There are also differences in how people of various ethnic backgrounds experience the loss of a child within the United States (Kalish & Reynolds, 1976). Despite the extensive history of research and writings on loss and bereavement, there is a dearth of controlled studies specific to bereavement in the pediatric oncology population. Ethical and methodological challenges may account for the limited research in this area. In addition, the increase in the survival rate for pediatric oncology patients over the past several decades has resulted in an emphasis on the study of coping and adjustment of survivors. In the United States, mortality rates associated with pediatric cancers have been declining for over a quarter century. Between 1975 and 1995, the overall decline in mortality was nearly 40% (Ries, 1999). Still, an estimated 1,500 deaths were expected in 2003 among children diagnosed with cancer between the ages of birth and 14 years, indicating that clinicians in this field are still frequently confronted with anticipatory grief and subsequent bereavement issues for patients and families (American Cancer Society, 2003). The current chapter provides a brief overview of relevant bereavement literature in the context of describing bereavement in pediatric oncology and introduces a model of coping with bereavement suited to describing the range of reactions to the loss of a child.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document