Date of Award

5-2021

Degree Type

Capstone

Degree Name

Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences

Department

Public Health

Abstract

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death among Hispanics/Latinos because they are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced stages of cancer than non-Hispanic Whites (Yanez et al., 2016). Additionally, Hispanics/Latinos are more likely to experience a poor quality of life after receiving a cancer diagnosis (Yanez et al., 2016). Cancer-related outcomes are influenced by several aspects such as social, cultural, behavioral, and biological factors. Oncology research is limited with regard to understanding and addressing the underlying factors that can impact cancer-related outcomes for Hispanics/Latinos because much of the research has focused on nonHispanic Whites. Therefore, it is imperative that future research and interventions focus on the various determinants of health that affect cancer outcomes among Hispanics/Latinos. The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) can be defined as the non-medical factors that can influence an individual’s quality of life. Aspects include an individual’s social environment, physical environment, and access to health services (NCHHSTP Social Determinants of Health, 2019). For example, an individual’s overall health can be impacted depending on where the individual lives, their income, education level, and whether or not they have access to healthcare. Research suggests that there are several SDOH factors that affect the Hispanic/Latino communities. By implementing public health interventions that specifically target the Hispanic/Latino communities and address the SDOH, it is expected that they will be able to access quality healthcare more easily. Additionally, better cancer related outcomes and health equity among this population will be achievable.

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