AJR 5, as amended, Gomez. National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week.
This measure would designate the week of April 20 to 26, 2014, inclusive, as National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week, encourage continued research into 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 urge the President and the Congress of the United States to recognize National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week.
Fiscal committee: no.
P2 1WHEREAS, National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week
2has been observed across the country each year since 1987 in an
3effort to bring attention to the disparities of cancer among
4medically underserved populations; and
5WHEREAS, The American Cancer Society is participating in
6National Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week to highlight the
7disparities in cancer burdens and to encourage public and private
8sector commitments in helping eliminate these disparities; and
9WHEREAS, California is the most populous and ethnically and
10culturally diverse state in the country, and thus, is in a position to
11provide leadership for the nation to address the reduction of the
12incidence of cancer among all races, ethnicities, and genders; and
13WHEREAS, In California, disparities exist in knowledge about
14cancer, cancer survival, and access to early detection, high-quality
15treatment, health care coverage, and health care. Social inequities
16also exist, including differences in occupational hazards,
17environmental exposures to pollution and other toxins, access to
18education, nutrition, physical activity, safe neighborhoods, healthy
19food options, and other factors that contribute to an increased or
20reduced risk of cancer; and
21WHEREAS, The risk of developing and dying from cancer
22varies considerably among different cultural populations in
23California. The medically underserved are often diagnosed at later
24stages, and with a higher incidence of cancers with higher
25mortality, such as lung cancer, and are more likely to receive
26delayed health care; and
P3 1WHEREAS, Cancer is the leading cause of death among Latinos,
2Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, and is the second leading
3cause of death for most other Californians; and
4WHEREAS, In California, African American males have the
5highest overall cancer incidence and mortality rates. African
6American women are more likely to die of breast cancer, although
7non-Hispanic white women are the most likely to be diagnosed
8with the disease. African Americans have substantially higher rates
9of cancers of the stomach, small intestine, liver, and larynx,
10myeloma, and Kaposi’s sarcoma than non-Hispanic whites. African
11American men are at especially high risk for prostate cancer, more
12than any other racial and ethnic group; and
13WHEREAS, In California, lung cancer is the most common
14cancer among Laotian and Vietnamese men, while prostate cancer
15is the most common cancer for men in most other ethnic groups.
16Colorectal cancer is the most common cancer among Kampuchean
17and Korean men. Despite an overall statewide decline in colorectal
18cancer rates from 1988-2008, incidence sharply increased among
19Koreans and Vietnamese. Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and
20Latinos have substantially higher rates of liver and stomach cancer
21than other groups. Vietnamese women have much higher rates of
22cervical cancer than non-Hispanic white women. Asian Americans
23have among the lowest rates of screening for breast, cervical, and
24colorectal cancers. There remains a lack of data about factors
25related to cancer, cancer control, and effective interventions among
26Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders; and
27WHEREAS, In California, Latinos have substantially higher
28rates of stomach and liver cancers than other Californians. Latinos
29have higher rates of acute lymphocytic leukemia and cervical
30cancer than non-Hispanic whites. Latinos have the highest
31likelihood of being medically uninsured, which can create serious
32barriers to screenings, early detection, and treatment. Latino women
33have the highest risk of developing cervical cancer, significantly
34higher, than non-Hispanic white women, African American women,
35Asian American women, and Pacific Islander women; and
36WHEREAS, According to the American Cancer Society,
37members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community
38are at greater risk for cancer, have faced specific challenges
39accessing quality health care, and may hesitate to access health
40care because of previous discrimination in health care settings.
P4 1Lesbians have fewer mammograms, pelvic examinations, and Pap
2smear tests than heterosexual women. There remains a lack of data
3about factors related to cancer, cancer control, and effective
4interventions in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender
5community; now, therefore, be it
6Resolved, by the Assembly and the Senate of the State of
7California, jointly, That the Legislature urges the President and
8the Congress of the United States to recognize “National
9Multicultural Cancer Awareness Week”; and be it further
10Resolved, That the Legislature declares the week of April 20 to
1126, 2014, inclusive, as “National Multicultural Cancer Awareness
12Week,” within the State of California, and encourages continued
13research into policies and programs that seek to reduce cancer
14disparities and, as a result, improve cancer prevention, detection,
15treatment, and followup care for all Californians; and be it further
16Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
17of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United
18States, to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to the
19Majority Leader of the Senate, to each Senator and Representative
20from California in the Congress of the United States, and to the
21author for appropriate distribution.
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