CNN Program Examines Efforts To Reduce Racial Health Disparities
CNN's "House Call with Dr. Sanjay Gupta" on Saturday broadcasted several stories on racial disparities in health care. The first story examined how the Ralph Lauren Cancer Center in New York City has helped increase the breast cancer survival rate at Harlem hospital from 39% to 70%. Harold Freeman, medical director and co-founder of the center, also helped create the federal Patient Navigation Program, which offers cancer patients assistance with their insurance, medications and other health-related needs. The Patient Navigation Program has been credited with improving the cancer survival rate among blacks. "House Call" also examined how blacks are less likely than whites to donate bone marrow, possibly because of a mistrust of the medical system. The program also featured a segment on Covenant Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., where co-pastors Christine Wiley and Dennis Wiley provide no-cost HIV testing and educate their congregation and community about the disease. Christine Wiley said other black churches that avoid discussions about HIV are "perpetrator[s] .... of the stigma [against HIV] by both not addressing it and ... also addressing it in ways that are not helpful but harmful" (Gupta, "House Call with Dr. Sanjay Gupta," CNN, 2/24). A transcript of the program is available online.