The Biden-Harris administration launched a $50 million initiative to improve cancer outcomes in low-income areas. The Persistent Poverty Initiative is designed to lessen the effects of persistent poverty on cancer outcomes.
People who live in persistent poverty are more likely to die from cancer because of higher rates of the disease and delays in diagnosis and treatment.
Focused on building research capacity, supporting cancer prevention research, and implementing community-based programs, the initiative is coordinated by the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute.
The Persistent Poverty Initiative is the first major program to address poverty and cancer at structural and institutional levels. Five Centers for Cancer Control Research in Persistent Poverty Areas, defined as areas where at least 20% of the population has lived below the federal poverty line for the past 30 years, will be created to support the goals and priorities of the Biden-Harris administration’s Cancer Moonshot.
The initiative will focus on addressing inequities in cancer care, particularly the structural drivers of cancer. Cancer prevention will be another key focus through efforts such as reducing tobacco use and increasing access to healthy food. Structural interventions and research in underserved communities will also help the program achieve its goals.
Sources: LabPulse.com, June 26, 2023. Department of Health and Human Services, April 28, 2022.