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Reducing racial disparities in breast cancer care Plastic surgeons’ efforts empower medically underserved areas By Olatomide Familusi, MD, MS, and Paris Butler, MD, MPH
Shortly after the introduction of the Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act (WHCRA) in 1998,
several studies brought to light the glaring disparity in the rates of breast reconstruction between Caucasian women and women of color. These differences remained regardless of a woman’s insurance status, socioeconomic status or geographic access to a plastic surgeon. One study from MD Anderson Cancer Center found that African-American women received breast reconstruction at half the rate of their Caucasian counterparts. Another study revealed that African-American women were less likely to be offered referrals for breast reconstruction, less likely to accept referrals if offered, less likely to be offered reconstruction and less likely to choose reconstruction if offered. We now understand that the cause of the observed disparity is multifactorial, but awareness and health literacy appear to play a significant role. In the wake of the 21st anniversary of the WHCRA, we would like to reflect on some of the strides taken at the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS) to improve breast reconstruction awareness among women of color, what we have learned in doing so and how we plan to continue this work. PSN: BREAST RECONSTRUCTION 2019 l
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