Untold Truth: Addressing health disparities Black women face and what to do about it

Black women are not more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer but they’re 41 percent more likely to die from it. JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Throughout the week we’ve delved into The Untold Truth, sharing the disparities Black women face, leading to poor health outcomes, including cancer death rates that are nearly double other races and ethnicities. There are programs in place to help bridge the gap, but experts say more research is needed to make a bigger impact. “The fact that we can call out statistics for breast cancer, cervical cancer, for colon cancer, for lung cancer and identify disparities not just for Black women but for Hispanics, for those in lower socioeconomic areas, disparities are a real thing,” GuideWell’s Chief Health Equity Officer, Dr. Kelli Tice said. In Jacksonville’s Florida Blue headquarters, Tice shared why she’s chosen to join 100,000 women across the U.S. participating in the American Cancer Society’s VOICES of Black Women study. The research collected over a 30-year period will be used to pinpoint why Black women are dying at a higher rate from preventable, treatable conditions, and change those outcomes. “In the health equity field, we’re working to close the gaps, and we do...