There is no single answer, and the effects of the intersection of many factors on a particular group are complex. However, research has identified a number of reasons why some communities suffer a greater burden of cancer. Among them:

Lack of insurance - More than 160,000 people in southGeorgia are uninsured or underinsured. Lack of insurance and inability to pay for care often prevent individuals from receiving cancer screening.

Conditions of poverty - It is estimated that 22% of south Georgia's approximately 700,000 men, women and children live at or below the federal poverty level, nearly double the state average of 13%. Food, housing, and other day-to-day necessities compete with health care costs in families surviving on small fixed incomes. Those living in poverty also often are not as educated and have lower literacy rates than more affluent members of the community, resulting in a lack of knowledge about where or how to get needed healthcare.

Bias and discrimination - A number of research studies have concluded that the quality of care the poor and uninsured receive in the U.S. is often substandard. Also, cultural biases may cause some populations to avoid medical treatment in favor of alternative therapies, or to regard cancer as a "death sentence". A lack of trust in the health care system often interferes with use of health services by members of minority communities.

Research Dissemination Barriers - According to a 2001 President's Cancer Panel Report, there is a disconnect between advances in research and health care delivery systems that serve the poor, with low-income individuals being less likely to have access to the latest in cancer care.