In the United States, Black women are approximately 40% more likely to die of breast cancer than white women and are often diagnosed younger with more aggressive breast cancers. Susan G. Komen ®’s African American Health Equity Initiative (AAHEI) seeks to improve breast health equity by identifying and addressing the systemic barriers that drive breast cancer inequities. As a first step, landscape analyses were conducted in the 10 metropolitan areas with the highest rates of breast cancer disparities among Black women.
For each assessment, both quantitative and qualitative data was collected using publicly available public health data, focus groups and informant interviews. Black women, both diagnosed and never diagnosed with breast cancer, providers, and community health workers/patient navigators participated in focus groups and informant interviews to shine their lights on the systemic barriers that repel the advancement of racial health equity for Black women's breast health.