Structural Racism Increases Lung Cancer Risk

Structural racism plays a fundamental role in the unequal distribution of lung cancer risk factors among ethnic minority groups, according to a review published in JAMA Oncology.

Researchers conducted this scoping review by examining the PubMed, Embase, and MedNar databases from January 2010 through June 2022. They focused on assessing structural domains associated with systemic racism. These domains included housing and built environment, occupation and employment, health care, economic and educational opportunity, private industry, perceived stress and discrimination, and criminal justice involvement.

The review found that racial and ethnic minority groups were more likely to be exposed to air pollution and known carcinogens due to segregation of neighborhoods and poor housing quality. Moreover, racial and ethnic minority groups were more likely to be exposed to pesticides, silica, and asbestos owing to higher rates of employment in manual labor occupations.

The investigators also found that targeted marketing and advertising of tobacco products by the private industry was more likely to occur in minority neighborhoods. In addition, poor access to primary care services and inequities in insurance status were associated with elevated lung cancer risk among racial and ethnic minorities.

“The findings suggest that structural racism must be considered as a fundamental contributor to the unequal distribution of lung cancer risk factors and thus disparate lung cancer risk across different racial and ethnic groups,” the researchers concluded. More research “is needed to better identify mechanisms contributing to inequitable lung cancer risk and tailor preventive interventions.”