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Colorectal Cancer Awareness
To many people, colon or colorectal cancer seems like a disease that only happens to older people. However, the medical community has cause for alarm regarding the increasing number of adults under 45 who develop the disease.
If you are under 50 and think you can wait to screen for colon cancer, think again. Rates of colorectal cancer are on the rise, and more young adults are getting diagnosed when the disease is in its advanced stages. Here is what you should know about colorectal cancer, the importance of screening, and how to reduce your risk.
Colorectal Cancer and Young Adults
This year in the U.S., about 20,000 adults under 50 will get a colon cancer diagnosis, and experts estimate that 3,750 will die from this disease. Colorectal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers for people under 50, probably because it is often advanced when detected. According to a 2021 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), colorectal cancer is on track to become the number-one cause of death among adults aged 20-49.
Colon cancer diagnoses are on the rise among younger adults. Since the 1990s, cases among adults under 50 have risen by about 50%. The American Cancer Society reports that between 1995 and 2019, cases among people under 55 increased from 11% to 20%. Moreover, individuals born after 1990 are twice as likely as people born in 1950 to get colorectal cancer.
Researchers have identified some factors contributing to the rise in colon cancer in younger adults, some diet related. For example, women consuming more than two sugary beverages per day double their risk of early-stage colorectal cancer. This increased risk also tends to occur among individuals eating more processed meats and meals and fewer fresh foods and produce.
Why Declaring Racism a Public Health Emergency Matters
Individual and systemic racism affects virtually every aspect of public life. It is especially pervasive in medicine and public health. Being Black, indigenous, or a person of color (BIPOC) can be harmful to your health.
The U.S. Congress and several local and state governments have declared racism a public health crisis. While these declarations are not legally binding, they convey that racial and cultural justice is necessary to safeguard all citizens’ health. Racism at individual and societal levels negatively impacts vulnerable populations’ mental and physical health. It also prevents members of marginalized groups from receiving equitable and adequate healthcare.
Understanding why racism is a public health emergency can shed light on the health-related harms of racism and bigotry. It also stimulates efforts to remedy the injustices and improve the general health of all Americans.
Why Is Racism a Public Health Emergency?
A public health emergency occurs when the effects or consequences of a public health threat are pervasive enough to overwhelm the organizations and facilities responsible for responding to it. In most cases, policymakers and community leaders cannot legally enforce emergency declarations. Nevertheless, they serve as a call to action to review and revise current policies and practices that allow the emergency to permeate.
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