Keywords
Cancer, radiation therapy, race, ethnicity, language, healthcare
Disciplines
Medical Humanities | Oncology | Radiation Medicine
Mentor
Roy Keider
Abstract
It is important for every patient within healthcare to have access to and receive quality care no matter their race, ethnicity, and/or primary language. Focusing on cancer care in the United States, there are racial and ethnic disparities as well as language barriers, both within the English language itself and with foreign languages, that prevent patients from receiving high quality care. This meta-analysis provides evidence of current disparities within healthcare that can be applied to the radiation oncology department and reveals suggestions for advancements including the use of language-concordant physicians and medical interpreters. Some of the policies, plans, and resources published to combat disparities of race, ethnicity, and language within healthcare have been discussed as their impact is crucial to providing more access to healthcare and encouraging higher quality of care to all individuals.
ScholarWorks Citation
Warner, Carrie, "Analysis of Racial/Ethnic Disparities and Language Barriers in Radiation Therapy" (2020). Honors Projects. 797.
https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/honorsprojects/797
