Socioeconomic and Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Cancer Mortality, Incidence, and Survival in the United States, 1950–2014: Over Six Decades of Changing Patterns and Widening Inequalities
Key Points
- Assess socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in cancer mortality, incidence, and survival rates across the United States from 1950 to 2014.
- Linked census-based deprivation indices with national mortality and cancer registry data to evaluate area-level socioeconomic disparities.
- Tracked individual-level socioeconomic status and racial/ethnic mortality patterns using the National Longitudinal Mortality Study.
- Quantified temporal trends and risk differentials using least squares, log-linear, and Cox proportional hazards regression models.
- Individuals residing in more deprived areas or with lower education and income had significantly higher cancer incidence and mortality, particularly for lung, colorectal, cervical, stomach, and liver cancers.
- Socioeconomic mortality disparities for all cancers combined, lung, prostate, and cervical cancer widened between 1979 and 2011 because death rates dropped more slowly in lower socioeconomic groups.
- Cancer mortality was higher in Black populations and lower in Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic populations compared to White populations, with patient survival markedly lower in deprived areas and among ethnic minorities.
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Implication
Population-based cohort study uncovers widening cancer mortality inequalities across US socioeconomic and racial groups, highlighting enduring gaps in prevention and treatment.
Cite This Study
Singh et al. (2017) studied this question.