April is National Minority Health Month (NMHM), a time to raise awareness about health disparities that continue to affect racial and ethnic minority populations and encourage action through health education, early detection, and control of disease complications.
This week is the beginning of National Minority Cancer Awareness Week. This week is a reminder of our quest at Outcomes4Me to democratize cancer care and accelerate research, and, ultimately, empower patients around the world to achieve better outcomes.
When social determinants of health are compounded by low socioeconomic status, access to preventive health care like cancer screenings can be difficult. A lack of affordable health care, dependable transportation or time off from work can all impact access.
How can you create change?
Help your community make cancer prevention a priority! Encourage neighbors, friends and family members to get screened—and offer them a ride to their appointments. A little support can go a long way in the fight against cancer.
We’ve compiled a list of resources to help raise awareness and empowerment:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Minority Health and Health Equity
- US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health
- National Cancer Institute’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD)
- The Community Guide
- Outcomes4Me Breast Cancer App
Sources: American Cancer Society, National Cancer Institute (NCI), HHS Office of Minority Health (OMH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)