Table of Contents
The social status is closely intertwined with the other factors previously presented such as cultural and economic statuses of the disease. However, there are still particular factors that can be analyzed to depict the influence of social factors on the prevention, screening, and treatment of prostate cancer.
The social aspects of prostate cancer include environmental risk factors and lifestyle factors as well as socioeconomic status (SES) that determine the quality of life and healthcare services available to prostate cancer patients. The impact of socioeconomic aspects and the occurrence of prostate cancer among various racial communities in the U.S has been found to be varying and even conflicting in some instances. For instance, here in the U.S a positive correlation was established between socioeconomic status and the occurrence of prostate cancer among white males.
Specifically, a large national US study reported higher SES to be associated with increased incidence of prostate cancer among non-Hispanic Whites, but not among Hispanics or African-Americans; whereas a study of men in the San Francisco Bay Area observed a positive relationship with SES among Asian/Pacific Islanders and Hispanics but not among non-Hispanic Whites and African-Americans. Less controversial are associations of higher SES with lower mortality rates of prostate cancer, which have been documented in multiple studies (Cheng).
127 our experts are availableright now
With this being said it is unclear whether the SES is held accountable for racial/ethnic discrepancies in prostate cancer. It is safe to say that the SES does not explain why ethnic groups have a higher percentage in prostate cancer. Conversely, the SES is linked to survival difference within different social statuses
Economic Status
The economic status of prostate cancer patients is also a significant aspect of addressing the incidences of the within a society. The economic status of prostate cancer patients is especially vital since the financial burden incurred by the patients is high during the course of treating the disease.
One of the most direct indicators of a person’s economic status is their level of income. In a study conducted using data from various health registers, it was established that men that earned a high income, averagely categorized as belonging to the top quartile of income earners were more likely to detect incidences of prostate cancer when they occurred. This was because men in the top quartile in terms of income earning power were more likely to afford and undergo frequent medical checkups relative to the men that belonged to the bottom income percentile (Tomic. et al., 1). In addition, men with high incomes (the top quartile) had a higher likelihood of successfully treating incidences of prostate cancer relative to the men in the bottom quartile that can be categorized as low-income earners.
This can be attributed to their ability to access the required cancer treatment in a timely manner especially in incidences where the cancer diagnosis occurs during the early stages. Therefore, this ensures that their condition is addressed during the early stages when there are many options and also a high likelihood of treating it. In addition, men with high incomes were capable of adhering to the required course of treatment without many interruptions due to financial limitations.
Consequently, the mortality rate of high-income earning men (the top quartile) diagnosed with prostate cancer was established to be significantly lower (12%) than that of lower income earners (the bottom percentile) that was established to be approximately 30% (Tomic. et al., 1). The critical variation in outcomes where it concerns the incidences of prostate cancer for men with high and low incomes depicts the significance of high economic status diagnosing and successfully treating the cancer of prostate.
Conclusion
The sections above have played a paramount role in analyzing and discussing the economic, social, and cultural statuses among individuals suffering from prostate cancer. Again, this particular form of cancer only impacts men, as women do not have a prostate.
The cultural aspects of males diagnosed with this cancer are not subjected to just one culture, since the disease impacts individuals from all over the U.S. However, it is vital to note that certain impacts such as prevention strategies, disease identification, and the health interventions administered for prostate cancer patients are lower among the African American culture. The rates of trust in oncologists among different racial cultures in the US is 52% for Caucasian, 47% for African American males, 40%, for Hispanic and 39% for Asians. (Kagawa-Singer. et al., 1).
Where the social status of cancer patients was concerned, it was evident that there is not much indication of any consistent relationships between a person’s social status and the incidence or treatment of prostate cancer. Finally, a high economic status has been established to facilitate a high likelihood of timely diagnosis and also the successful treatment of prostate cancer and other high-risk forms of cancer.
