Asian Breast Cancer Program participants
Asian Women for Health received $10,000 in May 2019 to support the launch of “MobilizAsians for Health”, an innovative pilot project to assess the feasibility of using WeChat® as an effective
intervention tool to mobilize breast cancer survivors to provide timely peer support and information for fellow survivors, patients and their loved ones. A study from 2006 (J Clin Oncol. 2006 Mar 1;24(7):1105-11) showed that women with breast cancer
who had social support had a lower risk of dying from the breast cancer. Research also indicates that people living with cancer benefit from the practical help and advice they receive from others who have lived through similar situations. However,
many Chinese women living with breast cancer do not participate in conventional support groups in a clinical setting due to cultural and linguistic barriers. Health concerns (fear of being exposed to germs) and stage of life (e.g., mothers with young
children) also reduce their personal participation in support groups. This community-driven solution will work to bridge these service gaps and diminish barriers to peer support. Given this emerging technology and its potential to reach a large audience
at relatively low costs, this is an innovative study on the cutting edge of health, technology, and social support.
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Female Breast Cancer
- From 1999 to 2013, the age-adjusted breast cancer incidence rate remained stable, while the age-adjusted mortality rate decreased by 32%.
- Breast cancer incidence increased for Asian women by 89% during this period, although remained lower than White women.
- For the time period 2011-2013, the annual age-adjusted mortality rates for Black and White female residents were similar (i.e., the difference was not statistically significant). However, the premature mortality rate (deaths among
women under age 65) was 78% higher for Black women than for White women. This is despite similar rates of breast cancer screening by race and ethnicity for women ages 40-64.
Health of Boston Special Report:
Cancer Among City of Boston Residents, 1999-2013, Boston Public Health
Commission Research and Evaluation Office , Boston, Massachusetts , 2018.
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