Breast cancer awareness: Black women’s voices needed to bridge the gap

November 9, 2025

Black women face a significantly higher mortality rate from breast cancer compared to white women, despite having lower diagnosis rates overall. According to health organizations, Black women are 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer, a disparity that has remained unchanged for over a decade and cannot be attributed solely to biological factors. Word In Black, a collective of Black-owned media outlets including The Washington Informer, has initiated an anonymous community survey to investigate the underlying causes of this healthcare gap.

Who is affected

Black women (experiencing higher breast cancer mortality rates)
White women (comparison group with lower mortality rates)
The broader Black community
Families and loved ones of Black women at risk

What action is being taken

Word In Black is conducting an anonymous breast cancer awareness survey that asks about risk awareness, access to screenings, and trust in the health system.

Why it matters

This disparity represents a persistent healthcare equity crisis that has remained unchanged for a decade, with Black women dying at rates 40 percent higher than white women despite lower diagnosis rates. Researchers and health experts emphasize that this gap cannot be explained by biological differences or cancer aggressiveness, pointing instead to systemic issues in how healthcare systems treat Black women differently, making it a critical social justice and public health issue.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article beyond completing and sharing the survey.

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer