Lexington Books Poverty and Place: Cancer Prevention among Low-Income Women of Color

This book examines ways in which cancer health disparities exist due to class and context inequities even in the most advanced society of the world. This volume, while articulating health disparities in the St. Louis, Missouri metropolitan area, including East St. Louis, Illinois, seeks to move beyond deficit models to focus on health equity. As cancer disparities continue to persist for low-income and women of color, the promotion and attainment of health equity becomes a matter of paramount importance. The volume demonstrates the importance of place and the historical inequity in socio-environmental settings that have contributed to marked health disparities. Through original research, this volume demonstrates that addressing the causes and contributors to women's health disparities is a complex process that requires intervention from a socio-ecological framework, at micro-, meso-, and macro-levels of influence. The book highlights critical aspects of a practical multidimensional model of community engagement with important influences of the various levels of research, policy and practice. More pointedly, the authors support a new model of community engagement that focuses on individuals in their broader ecological context. In so doing, they seek to advance the art and science of community engagement and collaboration, while disavowing the 'parachute' model of research, policy and practice that reinforces and sustains the problems associated with the status quo. The book concludes with broader national policy considerations in the face of the erosion of the social safety net for America's citizenry. Review The places where an individual lives, works, and plays constitute the social determinants of health and have a role in the health and outcomes of population groups. Poverty and Place presents a unique blend of original research and the published literature to provide a balanced view of the societal factors that play a role in the incidence of cancer in low-income women of color. The volume focuses on the St. Louis metropolitan area to give an in-depth study of the environment, policies, economics, and social and cultural attitudes that result in health disparities for low-income women of color. The authors describe how social determinants in the research area impact health disparities but also gives brief overviews of the national scene, along with descriptions of definitions useful for those new to the public health field. References to previous chapters are also helpful. The text is highly recommended for undergraduate collections with degrees in public health or community education. Summing Up: Highly recommended.--CHOICE Place matters. It is imperative to take place (physical, social, and built environment) into account as we work to understand and develop solutions to address health disparities. Poverty and Place: Cancer Prevention among Low-Income Women of Color does just that in its examination of the many factors (race, socioeconomic status, social and built environment) that can facilitate or pose a barrier to cancer treatment and adherence. This work includes original research conducted among low-income African American women who are residents of St. Louis, MO and East St. Louis, IL and includes a theoretical framework for the development of solutions via effective interventions to address health disparities. Holden Thorp, Provost of Washington University in St. Louis, writes a foreword praising his colleagues for their vision to address health disparities in the St. Louis greater metropolitan area and accepting the challenge of ensuring the university plays its role as a key stakeholder.--Melody S. Goodman, New York University About the Author Anjanette Wells is assistant professor in the School of Social Work, College of Allied Health Sciences, at the University of Cincinnati. Vetta L. Sanders Thompson is E. Desmond Lee professor of racial and ethnic diversity at Washington Univer