Racial disparities in lung cancer mortality in U.S. congressional districts, 1990-2001.
The objective of this study was to detect statistically significant racial disparities in lung cancer mortality at the U.S. congressional district level. We applied absolute disparity statistics to mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) for 1990-2001, mapped significant lung cancer mortality disparities by race and gender within U.S. congressional districts, and uncovered previously unreported disparities. The disparity statistics comparing black and white females revealed higher mortality rates for black females in the Midwestern U.S., and higher mortality rates for white females in the South-eastern U.S. Our methodology provides a spatial tool for guiding public health cancer control practices to monitor, target and reduce disparities.
Gallagher
Carolyn M
CM
Graduate Program in Public Health, Stony Brook University Medical Center, NY 11794-8338, United States. 2crgallagher@optonline.net
Goovaerts
Pierre
P
Jacquez
Geoffrey M
GM
Hao
Yongping
Y
Jemal
Ahmedin
A
Meliker
Jaymie R
JR
D044383:Black People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015144:Southeastern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D062206:Spatial Analysis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D019371:Topography, Medical; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D001741:Black or African American
Cancer; Congressional districts; Disparities; Lung; Mortality; Race