Health Disparities and Breast Cancer

UofM research team awarded Minority Health and Health Disparities grant to advance breast health in Memphis

The University of Memphis has been awarded a grant from the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD) for the groundbreaking project, "Policy Pathways to Breast Health Equity in Racially Segregated Areas with Concentrated Poverty." This research study explores how neighborhood conditions in Memphis influence the timing of breast cancer diagnoses and patients’ survival outcomes.

Using 2010–2021 registry and clinical data, combined with insights from local community voices, the research aims to identify pathways for improving care and breast health outcomes through targeted local policy interventions.

In addition to analyzing data, the team is employing qualitative research methods, conducting interviews with breast cancer survivors, political figures, and community leaders who can help drive policy change. The project also collaborates with the Benjamin L. Hooks Institute for Social Change to produce policy papers that will translate the findings into actionable recommendations.

The team has already presented two abstracts at AI conferences, with a third scheduled for presentation at the Academy Health Conference 2025.

The findings from this project have the potential to inform both city- and state-level policy decisions aimed at improving breast cancer detection and care delivery in underserved communities. By centering the voices of survivors and community leaders alongside rigorous data analysis, this research ensures that future policy recommendations are grounded in real-world experiences and community-identified needs—making them more relevant, sustainable, and impactful.

For more information on this research, contact Dr. Jill Dapremont, Professor, Department Chair in the Loewenberg College of Nursing, Family, Community, Health System Science Department and PI for this project at jdaprmnt@memphis.edu.