Through all of the readings and class lectures this semester, I have learned that social inequality is an incredibly pervasive and poignant part of American society. The social inequality in America, in part, can be attributed to the relationship between the perceived “superior/normal” and the perceived “inferior/abnormal.” For instance, in race relations, Whites (non-Hispanic) are considered the norm; in gendered issues, the male is dominant. Additionally, many of these issues are interrelated and interdependent. The inequities invade the home, the work place, the school, and the hospital, among other places because they invade all of the interactions humans have with each other. Therefore, it follows that social inequalities would affect …show more content…
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), breast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women in the United States, when not considering some skin cancers (Breast cancer statistics, CDC, 2015). The Asian/Pacific Islander, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Hispanic (not exclusive of race) minorities have lower incidence and death rates than both White women and African-American women. More than any other racial group, White women are more likely to have breast cancer, yet African-American women are more likely to die from the disease (Breast cancer rates by race and ethnicity, CDC, 2015). According to a report published by the American Cancer Society (ACS), Black women are more likely to be diagnosed at the regional and distant stages than White women are (ACS, 2014). Additionally, Hispanic women are also more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer stages two through four (Chen and Li, 2015). White women are more likely to be diagnosed at the local stage of cancer than Black women are (ACS, 2014). Furthermore, this ACS report states that those women diagnosed at the localized stage have a 99% 5-year relative survival (ACS, 2014). All of this data seems to indicate that breast cancer diagnosis is not independent of …show more content…
However, this question remains: why are Black women diagnosed later? One answer to this could be found in the results of a recent study conducted in Chicago. Researchers found that the black and Hispanic “minorities were more likely to experience a diagnostic delay” than non-Hispanic White females (Molina et al, 2015). These minorities were also more likely to attend facilities that were not accredited by their lack of membership in the National Consortium of Breast Centers and lack of certification as an American College of Radiology’s Breast Imaging Center of Excellence program or attend disproportionate share hospitals, which are facilities that aid many disadvantaged people and give “more uncompensated care” (Molina et al, 2015). Furthermore, the minorities in this study had a greater likelihood of needing more facilities to receive their diagnosis than non-Hispanic White women did (Molina et al, 2015). The results of this study indicate that minorities have less access to better medical institutions when compared to non-Hispanic White women. The better the institution, the better the staff and equipment, which results in better diagnostic and treatment measures. Additionally, there is a racial socioeconomic gradient here. Traditionally, better