Social determinants of breast cancer risk and late diagnosis: a medico-sociological study of the Khabarovsk Krai

Abstract

This study analyzes the social determinants of breast cancer (BC) among the female population of the Khabarovsk Krai. The relevance of the problem is determined by the complex influence of not only biomedical but also socioeconomic factors. An analysis of the studied cohort revealed a characteristic clinical and demographic profile, which includes a predominance of patients from older age groups and a burdened somatic history. The key conclusion of the work is that the effectiveness of measures to combat BC is significantly limited by structural, predominantly organizational, deficiencies within the healthcare system. Manifestations such as low accessibility and untimeliness of medical care, expressed in delays in diagnosis and treatment, as well as insufficient follow-up care, exacerbate the existing social inequality in healthcare provision in the region.