An Analysis of the Status of Colon Cancer Among the Hispanic Population
The colon commonly referred to as the big intestine, is where colon cancer usually develops. The majority of colon cancers begin as polyps, which are small growths that develop in the lining of the colon. Early on, colon cancer frequently exhibits no signs at all. When warning signals appear, cancer may already be advanced.
In the 1990s, colon cancer was one of the most prevalent cancers in men. It had an equal impact on white, Hispanic, and black Americans. According to a study by Edelman, Mandle, and Kudzma (2017), the lack of screening to help identify the issue at the earliest stage possible is one of the key reasons colon cancer is still a significant problem among Hispanics. According to statistics, the majority of Hispanic men rarely undergo screening. Most of them disregard the disease’s early signs and symptoms in the hope that over-the-counter medications will cure them.
Colon Cancer Screening
Colon cancer accounts for roughly 11% of cancer deaths in Hispanic men and 9% in Hispanic women due to lower screening rates. Colon cancer screening in Hispanic communities may face several challenges, including the following:
- Language Barriers : A impediment to colon cancer screening is language, according to research. The American Gastroenterological Association is one of many websites that offer colonoscopy resources in Spanish.
- Fewer doctor visits : Research indicates that Hispanic Americans are less likely to seek medical attention while they are healthy or experiencing symptoms.
- Reluctance to discuss screening procedures : For many people, discussing colonoscopies and stool samples can be embarrassing.
There are two fundamental screening techniques:
Colonoscopy : The most reliable screening procedure for preventing and detecting colon cancer is a colonoscopy. The colon and rectum are viewed during this screening using a small, illuminated tube with a camera. During the process, you will be unconscious. Colon polyps can be removed by your doctor during the examination, which may assist you in developing colon cancer. You won’t require another colonoscopy for ten years if the results of your test are normal.
Stool test: A stool test may pick up invisible blood in tiny amounts. You will need a colonoscopy if your test results are positive.
Post-Screening Consequences
A person with stage three or stage four colon cancer will not be able to engage in regular economic activities. Such a person will be forced to stay home from work due to the demanding treatment process. When doctors decide that a patient’s disease is too advanced to be treated, some can only be given palliative care for a few months or years so that they can still withstand the growth. The financial load can be too much for individuals who have a chance to combat the illness. Many Hispanics in the USA, some of whom came to the country to work in low-paying occupations, may find such a financial load to be too much to bear.
The majority of these Hispanic men are the family’s primary providers. Finding the bare necessities, much alone money for the prescription, can be extremely difficult for someone bedridden. Many people who are given an advanced colon cancer diagnosis do not recover from the condition.
It is essential to discover practical solutions and deal with colon cancer because of the unfavourable socioeconomic effects and the physical suffering it causes. If the issue is detected promptly, modern medical technology makes it simple to treat.
Factors in the Male Hispanic Population that Increase the Incidence of Colon Cancer
Language Barrier
It may be challenging to provide a patient with the kind of care they require if they are unable to effectively convey their own needs. Nurses are urged to come up with solutions to the communication problem.
Socioeconomic Status
The grade of healthcare treatments a patient might receive is frequently determined by their line of work. The wealthy can afford pricey medical services. Such people will undergo screening regularly to make sure that illnesses that decrease life are caught early enough. People from low-income families, on the other hand, would only seek medication if they felt it was required. These patients frequently have advanced diseases when they receive treatment, making it challenging to provide them with any useful therapy.
Appearance
It is regrettable that the type of healthcare services patients receive in different regions of the world still depends on appearance. Despite the efforts made by society to combat evil, racism continues to be a significant issue. Numerous public and private healthcare facilities provide white people preferential treatment. African Americans frequently experience various types of discrimination when seeking out medical care. To assure its eradication, this problem calls for a shift in policy.
Conclusion
Another factor contributing to the problem’s escalation among Hispanic men is a lack of cancer awareness. There is still a widespread misperception about cancer. They see it as a sentence to death. Being told that you have any type of cancer causes people to fear it, just like it did with HIV/AIDS. The majority of advertising ads frequently detail how prompt therapy can be obtained with early action. However, some of these folks have not been persuaded by that to undergo screening. Those with less education tend to experience the issue more frequently. Their fear of cancer is a result of misconceptions about the disease that are fueled by cultural beliefs.
The consequences of a lack of early colon cancer screening among male Hispanics are catastrophic. It is simple to treat colon cancer after it has been discovered. Treatment procedures are frequently straightforward, less unpleasant, and less expensive. When it is discovered in its later stages, treatment options may be limited. The only approach to identify the issue in its earlier stages is to practise sufficient self-control to go for routine screening. To lower the expense of managing colon cancer, the government has been spending a lot of money to make sure that it is detected as early as feasible. The male Hispanic population has not changed significantly, despite the rest of the population showing considerable improvement.
Consult your doctor or a cancer specialist if required, references for this article: ScienceDirect.
