This paper considered whether perceived discrimination was related to breast cancer incidence in African American women in the US. Weak positive associations were found between breast cancer and both major (job, housing, and police) and everyday (e.g. being treated as dishonest) discrimination. Young African American women showed stronger associations between discrimination and breast cancer. Women under the age of 50 years who reported frequent everyday discrimination were at higher risk than were those with infrequent experiences. Those women who reported discrimination with respect to housing, job, and police, had a breast cancer incidence rate ratio of 1.48 (95% CI, 1.01-2.16) whilst the ratio for those who cited discrimination only at their job was 1.32 (95% CI, 1.03- 1.70) as compared to those who reported no discrimination. The authors conclude that perceived experiences of racism are associated with increased incidence of breast cancer among African American women, particularly those of young age.
