Sub-National Disparities in the Incidence of Cancers Associated with Modifiable Risk Factors: An Analysis of Canadian CiNA Data (2010-2022)

OBJECTIVE: To examine subnational disparities between Canadian territories and provinces [covered in the Cancer in North America (CiNA) dataset] in the incidence of cancers grouped by association with modifiable risk factors (2010-2022). METHODS: CiNA public dataset was accessed, and information from nine Canadian jurisdictions about the following categories of cancers was included (cancers associated with physical inactivity; obesity; alcohol consumption; tobacco use; and Human Papillomavirus [HPV]-associated cancers). Age-standardized incidence rates (ASIRs) were initially calculated for all years of the study (2010-2022) for each of the five categories, comparing ASIRs of territories vs ASIRs of provinces. RESULTS: Among the five categories analyzed here, ASIRs were higher in the territories compared to provinces for cancers associated with physical inactivity (relative disparity= 1.05), cancers associated with obesity (relative disparity= 1.16), cancers associated with alcohol consumption (relative disparity = 1.21), cancers associated with tobacco use (relative disparity = 1.39), but not for HPV-associated cancers, where ASIR was numerically lower in the territories (relative disparity = 0.81). CONCLUSION: Within the Canadian jurisdictions covered in the CiNA public dataset, pooled territorial jurisdictions have a higher incidence of cancers associated with physical inactivity, obesity, alcohol consumption, and tobacco use, but not a higher incidence of HPV-associated cancers, compared with pooled provincial jurisdictions.