A bill to raise awareness of the racial disparities in the impact of colorectal cancer on the Black community, encourage screening, and urge further research.
Bonnie Watson Coleman
Representative
NJ-12
This bill aims to raise awareness of the racial disparities in the impact of colorectal cancer on the Black community. It encourages increased screening, further research, and expanded coverage for at-risk individuals to combat the disproportionately high rates of colorectal cancer and death among Black Americans. The bill also urges further research into why young adults are increasingly contracting and dying from colorectal cancer.
Colorectal Cancer Disparity Spotlighted: New Bill Pushes for Early Screening and Research, Especially for Black Community
This resolution shines a bright light on a grim reality: colorectal cancer is hitting the Black community harder, and it's starting younger. The bill, officially a resolution, doesn't create new laws, but it's a serious call to action to tackle a major health disparity.
Facing the Facts
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the US and the second-biggest cancer killer, claiming over 50,000 lives each year. But here's the kicker: Black Americans are diagnosed more often and die at higher rates than non-Hispanic Whites, with the lowest 5-year survival rate of any racial group. What's even scarier? This cancer is increasingly affecting younger people, with deaths in those under 55 rising almost 2% annually between 2011 and 2019. By 2030, it's projected to be the leading cause of cancer death for people aged 20 to 49. That's a big deal, no matter who you are.
Screening Saves Lives
The resolution points out that lower screening rates explain about 19% of the racial gap in colorectal cancer deaths. The good news? When caught early through screening, the survival rate is a whopping 90%. Think about it: regular check-ups could mean the difference between a manageable condition and a deadly one. This is why the resolution stresses the importance of readily available screening methods.
Action Items
This resolution isn't just talk. It pushes for concrete steps:
- CDC Gets a Nudge: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urged to keep digging into why these racial disparities exist and find ways to boost screening in affected communities.
- Research Focus: The CDC and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are called on to investigate what's causing the rise in colorectal cancer among young adults, looking at both environmental and physiological factors.
- State Health Plans: The resolution urges state health plans to get on board quickly with covering screenings for younger, at-risk people, particularly in the Black community. This means potentially lowering the screening age or covering more frequent tests for those with family history or other risk factors.
Real-World Impact
Imagine a young, Black professional with a family history of colorectal cancer. Under current guidelines, they might not be screened until 50. This resolution, if heeded, could mean earlier screening, catching any potential issues at a stage when treatment is most effective. It's about giving everyone a fair shot at a healthy life, regardless of their race or age. It's about making sure that a construction worker, a teacher, or a small business owner has the same access to life-saving preventive care.
While the resolution highlights specific sections such as the call for the CDC and NIH to research environmental factors, it's important to remember that it represents a broader, interconnected effort to address disparities. The details matter, but the overall goal is clear: to save lives and promote health equity.