Cancer disparities in Southeast Asia: intersectionality and a call to action
Erin Jay G. Feliciano, Frances Dominique V. Ho, Kaisin Yee, Joseph Alexander Paguio, Michelle Ann B Eala, Janine Patricia G Robredo, Kenrick Ng, Jasmine Lim, Khin Pyone, Catherine A. Peralta, Jerickson Abbie Flores, Jasper Seth Yao, Patricia Mae G. Santos, Christian Daniel U. Ang, Gideon Lasco, Jeffrey Shi Kai Chan, Gary Tse, Enrico Tangco, T. Peter Kingham, Imjai Chitapanarux, Nirmala Bhoo‐Pathy, Gerardo D. Legaspi, Edward Christopher Dee
Abstract
Southeast Asia has a population of over 680 million people—approximately half the population of India and twice the population of the United States—and is a region marked by rich and complex histories and cultures, dynamic growth, and unique and evolving health challenges.1 Despite the momentum of economic development, health inequalities persist. These inequities have been aggravated since the COVID-19 pandemic, which pushed millions further into poverty, possibly exacerbating health disparities, especially among populations who suffer vulnerabilities.