Health system fails Black women with cervical cancer. They deserve better.
In the fight against cervical cancer, Black women in low-income communities are being left behind — not by disease, but by a broken health care system.
Cervical cancer is one of the most treatable forms of cancer when caught early. Black women in low-income areas are more likely to be diagnosed in the later stages, when the odds of survival are at the lowest rate possible. The reason? A system that consistently fails them.
For many Black women, the health care system is not a source of relief but a reminder of past injustices.
“We Need Access,” a report documenting participatory research by the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative and Human Rights Watch showed that Black women in rural communities faced barriers in accessing health care more often than white women.
Stories of mistreatment of dismissed pain, misdiagnosed conditions and rushed appointments are passed down through generations, reinforcing a well-earned mistrust. The history of neglect deflects many Black women from seeking the preventive care they need because of the lack of empathy and sensitivity most doctors don’t provide.
Concerns that are reported have been minimized or demeaned
Affordability remains a major barrier to cervical cancer prevention and care. Several states’ refusal to expand Medicaid has left many low-income adults without access to affordable health insurance, exacerbating disparities in screening and treatment.
Even among those who are insured, high co-pays for screenings, follow-up appointments and procedures can deter timely care. Transportation costs add an additional layer of financial burden, disproportionately affecting Black adults and low-income communities who often lack reliable access to clinics or specialists.
These overlapping economic barriers contribute to delayed diagnoses and missed care, driving higher cervical cancer rates and mortality among Black women.
Even when Black women do seek care, they often find doctors frequently rushing through appointments, failing to explain procedures or complex diagnoses and offering little guidance on next steps.
In many instances, patients reported their concerns were demeaned or minimized, and that the quality of care they received was diminished by insurance status and other deeply entrenched racial biases, resulting in lack of trust and concerns about confidentiality.
Lack of respectful patient-centered communication also leads to delayed or avoided follow-ups resulting in missed opportunities for early intervention.
Navigators, ‘buddy system’ can help overcome barriers
Medical institutions must take responsibility for rebuilding trust in Black communities by prioritizing culturally competent care and patient-centered communication. Providers must be trained to recognize and correct biases, ensuring Black women feel informed, empowered and heard — not dismissed or disregarded.
One way to do this is for medical institutions to invest in training and hiring patient navigators who can guide patients through the health care system, ensuring they understand their diagnoses, treatment options and follow-up care. These navigators can bridge the gap between medical professionals and patients, fostering trust and improving health outcomes.
Another promising solution is implementing a buddy system, which has been used in health care settings to support frontline workers. This model pairs patients with advocates or peers who can help them navigate their medical journey, providing emotional support and ensuring they receive the care they need. Research has shown that buddy systems can improve mental health outcomes and reduce feelings of isolation, making them a valuable tool in addressing disparities in cervical cancer treatment.
Additionally, sensitivity training for doctors must become standard practice. Healthcare providers need to be educated on the historical mistreatment of Black patients and trained to communicate with empathy.
Policymakers must also address transportation and insurance barriers to ensure life-saving treatment is not a privilege but a right. According to SRBWI ‘s research, transportation — in addition to lack of access to information and services, and racism and discrimination in the health care system — is a formidable barrier. Women expressed that they could not meet appointments because the cost to ride a shuttle was expensive and wait times were often a full day. Transportation emerged as a consistent barrier throughout the report.
Black women deserve more than a health care system that treats their survival as optional. They deserve doctors who listen, policies that protect them, and a system that sees their lives as worthy.
Michelle Williams is a resident of Albany and serves as the Young Women Cervical Cancer Ambassadors coordinator, a project of the Southern Rural Black Women’s Initiative (SRBWI). January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month.
