Although the Brookings Community is predominantly white, almost 10% of the population is made up of minority groups and South Dakota is nearly 20% minority groups.
With those statistics noted, the Brookings Colorectal Cancer Awareness Program wants to make sure everyone is informed on how colorectal cancer can affect you. According to the American Cancer Society, African American people in the U.S. are 20% more likely to get colorectal cancer and 40% more likely to die from it.
One reason for this is that colorectal cancer in African American people often occurs on the right side of the colon, making it more difficult to detect. Since the right side is more difficult to detect, attending your regular screenings and checking for symptoms is even more crucial.
Another minority group that is greatly affected by colorectal cancer is the Indigenous population. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, American Indian/Alaska Native women are 2.3 times more likely to have, and 2.2 times more likely to die from colorectal cancer, as compared to non-Hispanic white women.
Since these rates for Indigenous communities are so high, not only in women but also in men, Indian Health Services now recommends that patients get screened for their first colonoscopy at age 40.
Although these numbers can be daunting, it is important and restated that the best way to ensure you are safe is to get your colonoscopy. If you are curious about that process, be sure to check out our other blog posts where we go further in depth on the topic.
By Oakley Jandreau