Black women at risk for breast cancer get less preventive-care information, OSU study finds

A new study by researchers at Ohio State suggests that black women at high risk of breast cancer might be missing out on potentially lifesaving measures because they are less likely than white women to receive the information needed to make decisions about preventive care (Source: “Ohio State study: Black women at risk of breast cancer get less preventive-care information,” Columbus Dispatch, Jan. 15, 2019).

The study, published in the journal Ethnicity & Health, analyzed interviews with 50 at-risk women to explore why wide racial disparities exist in the number of women who take advantage of preventive options.

“For women who do have a high risk of breast cancer ... managing that risk is a complicated journey,” said lead author Tasleem Padamsee, an assistant professor at Ohio State’s College of Public Health. “African-American women face additional burdens and challenges along that journey.”