Prostate Cancer A Look Into Why It Is Rampant In African American Men

Prostate cancer is a disease that affects far too many men. About 220,000 men each year are diagnosed with prostate cancer. However, it seems to reach epidemic proportions in Black American males. More Black men are diagnosed with and die from prostate cancer than any other racial group in the entire world.

Approximately seventy-two Black American men are diagnosed with the dreaded disease in a day while about 16 die each day of the said disease. Black American men are found with prostate cancer at a figure that is more than double compared to that of Caucasian men.

Prostate Cancer Education

Clearly, it is a major problem that needs to be addressed. But what exactly is the cause for the greater susceptibility of Black American men to prostate cancer? Why do Black prostate cancer patients have a mortality rate almost double compared to other racial groups?

Many research groups have theorized that the dietary habits and living routines of individuals have a great impact on a person's susceptibility to the dreaded disease. Data from the National Heart Association, more than 60 percent of Black American men are over the standard weight of adults. Approximately 28 percent of those can be defined as medically obese. These are the result of diets high in saturated fats, meat, and sedentary lifestyles. This is in contrast to other groups that have lower chances of getting prostate cancer and have a much different style of living.

Lack of access to health care is also an underlying factor in the high casualty rate of Blacks from prostate cancer. Research groups have found that approximately 24 percent of Black Americans did not have regular scheduled visits with a doctor the previous year. Moreover, many Blacks don't even have a regular physician. This is unfortunate because prevention is essential to reducing the number of fatalities caused by prostate cancer in Blacks.

Due to the fact that Black males are more susceptible to prostate cancer at a much younger age compared with other groups, they need more education on how to combat this disease. There are many treatments available, but the best way to fight prostate cancer is prevention. Hence, information campaigns should target this specific demographic more.

Another way to combat prostate cancer among Black males is to increase their health care access. This could be in the form of increased funding for medical services in places where there are large concentrations of Blacks. The availability of affordable health care insurance is another factor. Perhaps government agencies should introduce more affordable types of insurance in Black communities while also informing them about the importance of actually having insurance coverage. Prostate cancer treatment is quite expensive, so insurance is important.