DISPARITIES IN CANCER
SCREENING PRACTICES AMONG
MINORITY AND
UNDERREPRESENTED
POPULATIONS
TAMRYN F. GRAY,J OYCELYN CUDJOE,J EANNE MURPHY,ROLAND J. THORPE Jr,
JENNIFER WENZEL, AND HAE-RA HAN
OBJECTIVES: To review current evidence about cancer screening challenges that
lead to cancer health disparities in minority populations.
DATA SOURCES: Research reports, published journal articles, web sites, and
clinical practice observations.
CONCLUSION: There are significant disparities that exist in cancer screening
practices among racial and ethnic minority and underrepresented popula-
tions, resulting in disproportionately higher cancer mortality rates in these
populations.
IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses are positioned to lead in edu-
cating, promoting, and bringing awareness to cancer screening recommendations
Tamryn F. Gray, MSN, RN, BMTCN, CNL: PhD Student, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Balti-
more, MD. Joycelyn Cudjoe, BSN, RN: PhD student, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Jeanne Murphy, PhD, CNM: Postdoctoral Cancer Prevention Fellow, Breast and Gynecologic Cancer Research Group,
Division of Cancer Prevention, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD. Roland J. Thorpe, Jr, PhD: Associate Pro-
fessor, Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University,
Baltimore, MD, and Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Jennifer Wenzel, PhD, RN, CCM, FAAN: Associate Professor, Department of Acute and Chronic Care, School of Nursing,
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD. Hae-Ra Han, PhD, RN, FAAN: Professor, Department of Community-
Public Health, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Address correspondence to Tamryn F. Gray, MSN, RN, BMTCN, CNL, School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University,
525 N. Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205. e-mail: tfgray@jhu.edu
© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
0749-2081
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.soncn.2017.02.008
184 Seminars in Oncology Nursing, Vol 33, No 2 (May), 2017: pp 184-198