How do social determinants of health influence breast cancer?

Objective: To explore the influence of the social determinants of health in the etiology, diagnostic process, treatment, experience of disease and survival of breast cancer.Methods: Exploratory review of the literature. The Pubmed database was consulted, where articles published between 2019-2022 were identified. The inclusion criteria were female gender and articles of the review, case report and/or systematic review type.Results: Advanced age, obesity, alcohol and/or tobacco consumption increased the risk of this disease. Poverty was associated with more aggressive premenopausal diagnosis and poorer survival, low educational level led to later diagnosis and lower survival rate, black race was associated with later diagnosis, more advanced stages, and more subtypes aggressive of it. The Mediterranean diet and physical activity were protective factors. Other social determinants such as religion, social support or working conditions influenced breast cancer to a lesser or greater extent.Conclusions: Social determinants contribute to the existing inequalities in each of the stages of the process that this disease entails. Effective interventions are needed that take into account social and environmental contexts.(c) 2022 SESPM. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L.U. All rights reserved.