Unprecedented Challenges

Abstract

Abstract A cancer diagnosis exacerbates the effects of the unprecedented challenges—a pandemic, natural disasters, and other traumatic events—that are ravaging communities locally, regionally, nationally, and globally, in the face of disasters, a pandemic, and other traumatic events, are exacerbated by a cancer diagnosis. These challenges became abundantly clear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Decreased screening and a lack of access to cancer treatments heightened already extant disparities in cancer care. During the pandemic and racial/ethnic inequities abounded. Culturally competent strategies and best practices for eliminating gaps in such disparities are addressed in this chapter. Moreover, oncology social work demands particular attention to patterns of inequality rooted in historical racism, which are discussed here. It behooves social work practitioners to align clinical practice approaches with theoretical models, awareness, skills, and knowledge to cultivate cultural competence as a tool for addressing systemic and structural racism in oncology.