Guest Column: Cervical Cancer Realities And Disparities In Tarrant County

Arlington TX

29 November, 2021

7:04 PM

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By Hemali Patel, Fort Worth Report November 29, 2021 Tarrant County encompasses the metropolitan area of Fort Worth and has a population of almost 2 million people. Almost 30% of these people identify as Hispanic or Latino/a. The women in these communities are dying from cervical cancer at almost double the rate of white women who reside in their county, neighboring counties or even other metropolitan counties across the state. A recent study funded by the American Cancer Society evaluated the current state of cervical cancer and mortality specifically for Latina women in Tarrant County compared to other large counties in the state. The findings shed further light on an issue that has been unaddressed for many years. The cervical cancer mortality rate for Hispanic women in Tarrant County is 5.2 per 100,000, compared to 3.7 for their counterparts in Dallas County. The cervical cancer mortality rate is also significantly lower for non-Hispanic white women in Tarrant and Dallas counties, at 2.6 and 3 respectively. The numbers quantify the disparities and the outcomes, but the information also focuses on the "why" by describing key barriers to access and care for these communities and the women that make these communities what they are. "These women are caregivers … so if they don't have someone to watch their kids or take care of other matters, they won't go [to the doctor]," said Carlene King, a community health worker at Cancer Care Services in Fort Worth and a cancer survivor herself. "And if they do get sick, then what? Who's going to take care of their family?" To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.