The Unequal Burden of Cancer An Assessment of NIH Research and Programs for Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved (1999) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
1 The Struggle Against Cancer
1 The Struggle Against Cancer
Pages 16-32
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 16... ...
To reduce the rate of mortality from the major causes of death, however, it was necessary to do more than conduct research. The federal government initiated a concerted effort to increase the training of qualified practitioners capable of managing these diseases, as well as to make knowledge regarding cancer prevention and treatment generally available to the public.
|
From page 17... ...
These centers were to focus on cancer control programs and conduct studies at the various regional centers. The centers were to be at the forefront of the struggle against cancer, but these recommendations were not realized until later, and in 1974 the RMPs were absorbed into the National Health Planning and Resources Development Act (see Box 1-1 for a timeline of significant events in the War on Cancer, and Box 1-2 for a listing of recent developments in NCI efforts regarding ethnic minority and medically underserved populations)
|
From page 23... ...
Rather, the expectation of quick results continued, and might have been strengthened when NCI announced the goal of reducing the incidence of cancer by 50 percent by the year 2000. Mechanisms of Development of Cancer Although the Panel of Consultants had placed great emphasis on a national plan, such planning was contrary to the tradition of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
|
From page 24... ...
Other initiatives also focused on what the Institute called "special populations." These included the Black Leadership Initiative on Cancer, the Hispanic Leadership Initiative, and the Appalachian Leadership Initiative. The last initiative was formed in recognition of the fact that rural, poor whites experienced the same burden of cancer as ethnic minority groups.
|
From page 25... ...
In 1993, however, the nation, through its elected representatives in the House and the Senate, appeared to be unhappy with the progress of the War, although it was impressed by the breakthroughs in molecular biology. Progress Report 1 In 1993 the Institute prepared a report on the progress that had taken place between 1982 and 1992 in the scientific understanding of cancer (National Cancer Institute, 1993~.
|
From page 26... ...
However, the scientific evidence that could be used to connect particular environmental risks to specific diseases had not yet been well developed. Whereas cancer prevention research sought to establish the efficacies of preventive interventions, cancer control sought to develop effective strategies that could be used to translate them into practice.
|
From page 27... ...
Progress Report 2 A different assessment of the War on Cancer was best expressed by John Bailar, the first director of cancer prevention research at NCI, although it was also held by others. His view was that the War on Cancer had been a failure.
|
From page 28... ...
In the case of lung cancer the decrease is clearly related to the smoking rate reductions that have taken place over the past 30 years, suggesting the effectiveness of previous cancer control programs. The reasons for the decrease in the rate of mortality from prostate cancer remain unclear.
|
From page 29... ...
Smoking rates among African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians
|
From page 30... ...
Death rates from oral cancer were decreasing, but the rate among African Americans was still about twice as high as that among the general population. MORE GOOD NEWS There was more good news in 1998, especially relating to the prevention and treatment of breast cancer.
|
From page 31... ...
. The NCI-designated cancer centers were to be the primary bodies conducting the research, along with the community clinical oncology programs and the clinical trials cooperative groups.
|
From page 32... ...
32 THE UNEQUAL BURDEN OF CANCER The current director is reorganizing NCI, giving special attention to the Division of Cancer Control and Population Science, and is reportedly interested in improving the quality of care provided to poor, ethnic minority, and elderly populations with cancer. The fundamental questions mentioned above will continue to be asked in a variety of ways.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.