"When we think about the health of this nation, we really need to take into account the health of Latinos." said Ana Abraido-Lanza with the Mailman School of Public Health-Columbia.
Professor Abraido-Lanza is a first generation American of Cuban descent and a professor of public health. Because of her background, she is interested in the study that examines the change in cancer rates among Hispanics.
The study found immigrants who relocate to the United States face much higher cancer rates than those in the country they left behind. The reasons are not clear.
"The study suggests that lifestyle and environmental factors play a role." said Ms. Abraido-Lanza.
"It implies that we shouldn't be treating all Latinos as equals. It also implies for physician who are treating Latinos to ask question about their health behaviors," said Ms. Abraido-Lanza.
And the information can help in targeting awareness. Graphics artist Cindy Martinez is a second generation Puerto Rican-New Yorker. Earlier this year, she was treated for colon cancer, an illness which the study showed has nearly doubled among Puerto Ricans. Her mission now is to create awareness about the disease.
"Being that we're among the highest risk, the Hispanic community is the highest risk and that's why I decided to do a website specifically in Spanish, there's nothing on the internet," she said.
Understanding that cancers affect different populations differently is important in targeting both prevention and screening programs. The American Cancer Society pointed out this study is similar to studies in the 1960's with immigrants from China and Japan which showed an increased risk of cancer when immigrants moved here. The study was published by one of the journals of the American Association for Cancer Research.
www.coloncancerawarenesforlatinos.com
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