Purpose
The purpose of this research is to analyze the core reasons, which lead to the development of colorectal cancer among African Americans compared to individuals of different racial and ethnical background. The focus on social and personal criteria will allow finding the determinants of higher risk of the given type of cancer among this particular group. The purpose of this paper is to present a proposal for an evidence-based project about connection of social and racial affiliation with a higher risk for colorectal cancer.
Background
Since cancer is ranked among the most serious illnesses of modern times, there are numerous studies and plenty of statistics highlighting the factual scope of the problem. However, population-based studies revealed the fact that African-American tend to monitor the problem less than their white counterparts do. This is partly caused by the economic ends, such as the fact that diagnostics like Colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy are expensive procedures.
Population
According to data of numerous researches, African Americans are prone to colorectal cancer more than their white counterparts are. It is advised to begin preventive screening starting from the age of 45. Since the possibility of combating this horrendous disease is determined by the necessity to identify the roots and reasons, it is necessary to differentiate between inherent and external factors. Inherent risk factors are among those determinants, which cannot be affected. Family history and age constitute such reasons. Other external factors, which are primarily shaped by a person’s lifestyle, can be transformed in order to lower the possibility of getting the ailment (African Americans and Cancer, 2016). Here comparison group is presented by white male individuals of the age of 45 years with poor social economic background.
Clinical Significance
The study is important to the health care field since colorectal cancer is among the leading factors causing cancer death in the USA. Nevertheless, the general state-of-affairs with delivering health services to people across all races has reached its balanced distribution; African Americans more frequently encounter colorectal cancer than people of different background do. The connection between racial and ethnic background is not yet completely understood. However, the evidence indicates that colorectal cancer incidence is more frequently observed among African Americans (What African Americans need to know about Colorectal Cancer, 2016). The outcome is to present justification within this connection and thus, facilitate patient’s awareness of the matter through wider publicity of the matter and social focus on the target group. Clinical outcome is determined by in-time surgery on the early stages of colorectal polyps, which allows preventing deterioration of the patient’s condition. Thus, the issue of colorectal cancer is of an immediate significance and cancer victims require immediate help and permanent solution, to facilitate which, deeper understanding of the causes and effects of the given disease is needed (Colorectal cancer risk factors, 2016).
The background of the racial disparities requires further theoretical and clinical study. There is sufficient amount of literature on the subject. The team of Mississippi Department of Health, who devised a fact list highlighting the key aspects of this connection, addressed the following issue. Eileen B. O’Keefe, Jeremy P. Meltzer, Traci N. Bethea in their study compared the differences in factors fostering the development of colorectal cancer between African-Americans and Whites (B. O’Keefe, P. Meltzer & N. Bethea, 2015). The National Cancer Institute offers the comprehensive definition of “cancer health disparities” and presents various data on cancer incidence related to the person’s racial affiliation. The American Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy presents Profound and up-to date finding on the matter. The following research endeavors to relate a person’s socioeconomic status with his racial and ethnic background, aiming to highlight the core reasons, which may provoke the occurrence of colorectal cancer.
The following methods are to be applied: cross-sectional and cross-sequential modelling, case study, survey, observation and correlation. The focus group for case study is to be chosen among the existent study groups in various research centers, since the study involves the analyses of the already known data with different approach and within different field of study. The received data is to be assessed from the points of its relevance resulting in numbers or percentages of people with certain characteristics corresponding to the aims of the research both with qualitative and quantitative data. The plan is the following. The outcome pursued is be expressed in either complex account of the factors and descriptive account of their influence on the higher risks of development of colorectal cancer among African Americans with low income, or a universal pattern incorporating the impact of the interaction of the external and internal social factors. In general it would provide the convincing data and provide possible socially-economic and medical steps, like social advertising of the matter, including the illness in the list of obligatory checkouts.
Timeline
This is a long-term research, which requires much time to provide up-to-date clinical data. Presumably, it shall take the period of the course to develop the comprehensive view on the issue of the connection of social and racial affiliation with a higher risk for colorectal cancer.
References
Colorectal cancer risk factors. (2016). Cancer.org. Retrieved from http://www.cancer.org/cancer/colonandrectumcancer/detailedguide/colorectal-cancer-risk-factors
African Americans and Cancer. (2016). Fred Hutch. Retrieved from https://www.fredhutch.org/en/events/cancer-in-our-communities/african-americans-and-cancer.html
What African Americans need to know about Colorectal Cancer. (2016) (1st ed.).Retrieved from
http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/resources/2043.pdf
B. O’Keefe, E., P. Meltzer, J., & N. Bethea, T. (2015). Health Disparities and Cancer: Racial Disparities in Cancer Mortality in the United States, 2000–2010. Front Public Health, (3: 51.).
