Editor’s note: This essay, offered through the American Forum, examines how Black Mississippi women are disproportionately harmed by instances of cervical cancer.

Mississippi, a state known for rich culture and strong heritage, also faces some of the nation’s most glaring health disparities. Among them is the inequity in cervical cancer prevention and treatment, which is often shaped by racism and systemic discrimination in healthcare.

Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer at later stages and have a lower five-year survival rate, meaning they are less likely to survive for five years after diagnosis. Mississippi, which has the highest cervical cancer death rate in the country, is a stark example of this disparity. In the state, Black women are nearly 1.5 times more likely to die from cervical cancer than their white counterparts, even though the incidence rates between Black and white women are nearly identical.     

I am a community-based researcher and health equity advocate with over 20 years of experience addressing healthcare disparities in the Mississippi Delta. My work has brought me face-to-face with the structural barriers that continue to disproportionately harm Black women in our state. These barriers, rooted in systemic racism, perpetuate cycles of mistrust and disengagement with the healthcare system, further exacerbating health inequities. 

When Black women experience bias or dismissal, trust in healthcare providers erodes, leading to avoidance of care and worse outcomes. For many Black women I interviewed, generational mistreatment by medical providers and institutions has left a justified and chronic skepticism about the intentions and reliability of healthcare systems. This discourages them from pursuing needed gynecological services. This mistrust complicates efforts to promote preventive care, such as regular screenings and timely treatment for cervical cancer, leaving many women hesitant to seek care from a system that has marginalized them for generations.

One woman I spoke with shared her experience of severe cramping from an IUD, only to be dismissed by her gynecologist’s office. When she was finally seen, the care she received was rushed and aggressive, leaving her feeling unheard and mistreated. It wasn’t until she switched providers that her concerns were properly addressed.

Another interviewee recounted her decision to avoid local doctors altogether after enduring substandard care in Washington County. “When I left Washington County, I was provided with better health care, and my health increased tremendously,” she said. Her story reflects a painful truth for many Black women in Mississippi: equitable, compassionate care often feels out of reach.

These individual stories are part of a broader, well-documented pattern. Research consistently shows that healthcare providers are less likely to recommend preventive measures like HPV vaccinations to Black patients. Providers also frequently dismiss Black women’s health concerns, resulting in delayed diagnoses and subpar treatment. This pattern of medical racism is more than an injustice—it is a public health crisis.

Cervical cancer should not be a death sentence in Mississippi or anywhere else. The eradication of the entrenched racism and discrimination in our healthcare system will move us closer to a future where every woman has an equal chance at prevention, treatment and survival.

Addressing these disparities requires more than acknowledgment; it demands action. We need increased investment in community health clinics to bring quality care to underserved areas. Cultural competency training for healthcare providers is equally essential to combat implicit bias and foster better relationships with patients.

Mississippi has the opportunity to lead by example in dismantling the systemic inequities that have plagued its healthcare system for far too long. By prioritizing health equity and addressing these disparities head-on, we can ensure that every woman in our state—regardless of race or zip code—has access to the preventive care and treatment she deserves.       

Barbara Rose Brooks is a community-based researcher and a lifelong resident of Leland. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Alcorn State University and has dedicated 20-plus years of service to eradicating health disparities. The first African American female mayor elected in Leland in 2005, she is currently Leland’s vice mayor and a community health advisor with the Deep South Network for Cancer Control. Formerly Brooks was Project Development Officer for Tougaloo College’s Delta Health Partners Healthy Start Initiative. In 2021 the Delta Health Center’s Leland clinic was renamed the Barbara Brooks Medical Center in her honor. 

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