Introduction
The study on the burden of cancer in the United States provides valuable information on the disease and its impact on American society. Cancer is a major cause of death in the U.S., and the American Journal of Preventive Medicine study quantifies the overall effect of cancer on the population. It identifies the top cancers in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) measure that expresses the number of years of life lost to disease and race/ethnic groups most affected by different types of cancer.
Discussion
The research under consideration provides DALYs data, information on years lost to disability (YLD), and years of life lost to (YLL) to premature death. Thus, lung cancer is responsible for 24% of all DALYs and is the primary contributor to loss of health among cancer patients (Khaliq, 2018). Meanwhile, breast cancer is the second leading cause of DALYs, with 10% of all DALYs, whereas colorectal cancer is the third largest cause, with 9% of all DALYs (Khaliq, 2018). It should be noted that the discussed data was derived through age and race and ethnicity standardized rates, with the following categories being included: non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, non-Hispanic Asian, and Hispanic (Khaliq, 2018). These cancers are most prevalent in all race and ethnicity categories and require close attention from stakeholders. Such data is of considerable value to healthcare managers as it provides them with a deeper understanding of which cancers are the most prevalent and how they compare in terms of the DALYs measure. This information can help managers prioritize resources and allocate them to the areas with the most impact and translate into desirable health outcomes for patients.
Lung cancer was identified as the most prevalent type in all considered race and ethnicity categories, and it requires careful consideration. It should be noted that the Hispanic group has the lowest rate of lung cancer in terms of DALYs, measuring 12% (Khaliq, 2018). Both Hispanic men and women are the least affected by lung cancer in terms of incidence and mortality (Zavala et al., 2021). Smoking rates can be viewed as a predictor of lung cancer incidence, as up to 90% of lung cancer cases in the United States are attributed to smoking (Zavala et al., 2021). The low DALYs percentage in the Hispanic category indicates that the group has a higher proportion of non-smoking individuals or light smokers. Zavala et al. (2021) note that both Hispanic men and women exhibit low tobacco use rates. Therefore, considering the DALYs measure and smoking rates in the Hispanic group, it can be concluded that more smoking prevention programs should be implemented to prevent lung cancer.
Prostate and liver cancers also present a significant threat to the health and well-being of the U.S. population. According to Khaliq (2018), individuals in the non-Hispanic black category have the highest DALYs from prostate cancer, measuring at 7%, while the Non-Hispanic Asian group leads in DALYs lost from liver cancer, at 9%. While the overall incidence of these diseases is relatively low, the mortality rate is high. These rates may be explained by differences in diet, genetic predisposition, and delayed diagnosis at stages when the disease is more challenging to treat effectively. There may also be disparities in access to healthcare preventing early detection and treatment. Therefore, healthcare managers should facilitate awareness campaigns on prostate and liver cancers in the affected communities. In addition, advocacy promotions and fundraisers for prostate and liver cancer research can be organized to help develop targeted prevention and treatment programs for individuals at high risk of cancer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, stomach cancer substantially contributes to DALYs in each discussed race and ethnicity category. Specifically, it measures at 3% in the non-Hispanic black group, 5% in the Hispanic community, and 5% in the non-Hispanic Asian category (Khaliq, 2018). This data can be of great importance to a healthcare manager as it helps identify what groups are at more risk of developing stomach cancer. It can also help guide cancer prevention and treatment efforts and help managers allocate resources more effectively, ensuring that patients in these groups receive high-quality care.
References
Khaliq, A. A. (2018). Managerial epidemiology: Principles and applications. Jones & Bartlett Learning.
Zavala, V. A., Bracci, P. M., Carethers, J. M., Carvajal-Carmona, L., Coggins, N. B., Cruz-Correa, M. R., Davis,, M., Smith, A. J., Dutil, J., Figueiredo, J. C., Fox, R., Graves, K. D., Gomez, S. L., Llera, A., Neuhausen, S. L., Newman, L., Nguyen, T., Palmer, J. R., Palmer, N. R., … Fejerman, L. (2021). Cancer health disparities in racial/ethnic minorities in the United States. British Journal of Cancer, 124, 315–332.