Abstract
Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. The environmental risk factors that worsen cancer risk and outcomes are often overlooked and these factors are disproportionately concentrated in communities that have been subjected to marginalization. This chapter provides an overview of discriminatory systems, policies, and practices that contribute to cancer disparities and perpetuate environmental injustice. Using two major sources of environmental exposures as examples (i.e., industrialized food systems and the fossil fuel infrastructure), we discuss how systems of power restrict the choices available to communities targeted for marginalization and lead to worse cancer risk and outcomes for the entire population. We intentionally incorporate environmental justice principles throughout the chapter by moving beyond reporting disparities and by centering the voices of those who are disproportionately impacted—especially when identifying potential solutions—while recognizing that environmental hazards have detrimental health consequences for the entire population. We also highlight the important role of public health professionals in promoting environmental justice given their roles and spheres of influence. We conclude with a call to shift from a settler colonialism mindset of domination and hegemony towards a kinship mindset as a means of reducing cancer disparities and promoting the health of the entire population.
Original language | English (US) |
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Title of host publication | Environmental Oncology |
Subtitle of host publication | Theory and Impact |
Publisher | Springer International Publishing |
Pages | 213-244 |
Number of pages | 32 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9783031337505 |
ISBN (Print) | 9783031337499 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2023.