Our Community Need

The El Paso Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is announcing the release of its Community Profile: a community needs assessment of the burden of breast cancer in El Paso County. This report details the barriers in education, screening, and treatment regarding breast cancer in the El Paso community. By gathering demographic data, breast cancer statistics, information about programs and services available, and qualitative data from surveys and focus groups, the Community Profile Report has illuminated areas of greatest need in the County.

The findings show that females in El Paso County have slightly lower breast cancer incidence rates than the State of Texas female breast cancer incidence rates.  Non-Hispanic Caucasian women have the highest incidence rates of any ethnicity in both El Paso County and the State of Texas.  The breast cancer mortality rate for Hispanic women in El Paso is significantly higher than the rates for Hispanic women in the state of Texas and the U.S.  In addition, over 40 percent of El Paso residents do not have health care coverage.  In specific zip codes within El Paso County, up to seventy-five percent of females between 18 and 64 do not have health insurance coverage, which is a barrier to receiving preventative breast cancer screening, as well as diagnostic and treatment services. 

Together with its grantees and new potential community partners, the El Paso Affiliate will address gaps and barriers in the breast cancer continuum of care and extend its outreach efforts throughout the County.  Affiliate staff, board members, and volunteers will develop new partnerships with community-based outreach/health organizations that promote awareness on breast health education and emphasize efforts to breakdown language and transportation barriers for underserved populations. Other areas of need in El Paso County are services that eliminate barriers to breast care such as low-cost, or no cost, mammography and other breast cancer services to underserved populations and increased follow-up care and post-treatment support services to survivors.  For additional findings and to review the 2011 Community Profile, please visit www.komenelpaso.org.

Click here to download the 2011 Komen El Paso Community Profile.