Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 24

Introduced by Senator Hernandez

March 13, 2013

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 24—Relative to National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 24, as introduced, Hernandez. National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week.

This measure would designate the week of April 15 to 21, 2013, as “National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week,” and would encourage the promotion of policies and programs that seek to reduce cancer disparities and improve cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and followup care for all Californians.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week
has been observed across the country each year since 1987 to bring
attention to the disparities of cancer among medically underserved
populations; and

WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society is participating in
National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week to point out the
disparities in cancer burdens and to encourage public and private
sector commitments in helping eliminate these disparities; and

WHEREAS, California is the most populous and ethnically and
culturally diverse state in the country, and thus, is in a position to
provide leadership for the nation to address the reduction of the
incidence of cancer among all races and genders; and

WHEREAS, In California, disparities exist in knowledge about
cancer, cancer survival, and access to early detection, high-quality
treatment, health care coverage, and health care. Social inequities
also exist, including differences in occupational hazards,
environmental exposures to pollution and other toxins, access to
education, nutrition, physical activity, safe neighborhoods, healthy
food options, and other factors that contribute to an increased or
reduced risk of cancer; and

WHEREAS, The risk of developing and dying from cancer
varies considerably among different cultural populations in
California. The medically underserved are often diagnosed at later
stages, and with a higher incidence of cancers with higher
mortality, like lung cancer, and are more likely to receive delayed
health care; and

WHEREAS, Cancer is the leading cause of death among
Hispanics, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders and is the
second leading cause of death for most other Californians; and

WHEREAS, In California, African American males have the
highest overall cancer incidence and mortality rates. African
American women are more likely to die of breast cancer, although
non-Hispanic white women are the most likely to be diagnosed
with the disease. African Americans have substantially higher rates
of cancers of the stomach, small intestine, liver, and larynx,
myeloma, and Kaposi’s sarcoma than non-Hispanic whites. African
American men are at especially high risk for prostate cancer, more
than any other racial and ethnic group; and

WHEREAS, In California, lung cancer is the most common
cancer among Laotian and Vietnamese men, while prostate cancer
is the most common cancer for men in most other ethnic groups.
Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer among Kampuchean
and Korean men. Despite an overall statewide decline in colorectal
cancer rates from 1988-2008, incidence sharply increased among
Koreans and Vietnamese. Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and
Hispanics have substantially higher rates of liver and stomach
cancer than other groups. Vietnamese women have much higher
rates of cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women. Asian
Americans have among the lowest rates of screening for breast,
cervical, and colorectal cancers. There remains a lack of data about
factors related to cancer, cancer control, and effective interventions
among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and

WHEREAS, In California, Latinos have substantially higher
rates of stomach and liver cancers than other Californians. Latinos
have higher rates of acute lymphocytic leukemia and cervical
cancer than non-Hispanic whites. Latinos have the highest
likelihood of being uninsured, which can create serious barriers
to screenings, early detection, and treatment. Latino women have
the highest risk of developing cervical cancer, significantly higher,
than non-Hispanic white women, African American women, Asian
American women and Pacific Islander women; and

WHEREAS, Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and
transgender community are at greater risk for cancer, face specific
challenges accessing quality health care because of insurance
policies that fail to cover same-sex partners, and may hesitate to
access health care because of previous discrimination in health
care settings. Lesbians have fewer mammograms, pelvic
examinations, and Pap smear tests than heterosexual women. There
remains a lack of data about factors related to cancer, cancer
control, and effective interventions in the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender community; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature declares the week of April
15 to 21, 2013, inclusive, as “National Multicultural Cancer
Awareness Week,” and encourages the promotion of policies and
programs that seek to reduce cancer disparities and, as a result,
improve cancer prevention, detection, treatment, and followup
care for all Californians; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.

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CORRECTIONS:

Text-Pages 2, and 3.

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