Rural cancer disparities from Oklahoma cancer and vital records registries 2016–2020

• Published in: Cancer epidemiology Vol. 88; p. 102512
• Main Authors: Campbell, Janis E., Sambo, Ayesha B., Hunsucker, Lauri A., Pharr, Stephanie F., Doescher, Mark P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2024; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Age groups; Aged; Breast Neoplasms - epidemiology; Bronchus; Cancer; Confidence intervals; Female; Government programs; Health Disparities; Hispanic people; Humans; Incidence; Insurance coverage; Lung cancer; Lungs; Male; Medicare; Mortality; Oklahoma - epidemiology; Pacific Islander people; Population studies; Populations; Registries; Regression analysis; Rural; Rural areas; Rural Population; Rural populations; Statistical analysis; United States; Urban; Urban areas; Urban Population; Urban populations; United States; Oklahoma; United States > US; Utah; Rural; Health Disparities; Urban
• ISSN: 1877-7821; 1877-783X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.canep.2023.102512

Compared to Oklahoma, 33 states have higher all-cause cancer incidence rates, but only three states have higher all-cause cancer mortality rates. Given this troubling gap between Oklahoma’s cancer incidence and mortality rankings, in-depth examination of cancer incidence, staging, and mortality rates among this state’s high-risk populations is warranted. This study provides in-depth information on overall and cause-specific cancer incidence and mortality for the rural and urban Oklahoma populations classified by Rural-Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC). Data were publicly available and de-identified, accessed through Oklahoma Statistics on Health Available for Everyone (OK2SHARE). Statistical analysis included calculating age-specific rates, age-adjusted rates, and percentages, as well as assessing temporal patterns using average annual percent change with 95 % confidence intervals determined by Joinpoint regression analysis. Urban areas had a higher proportion of female breast cancer cases, while large and small rural areas had higher rates of lung and bronchus cancer. Urban residents were more likely to have private insurance and less likely to have Medicare compared to rural residents. Cancer incidence rates increased with age, and men had higher mortality rates than women. Lung and bronchus cancer was the leading cause of cancer death, with lower rates in urban areas compared to rural areas. Findings demonstrate the need to improve the early detection of cancer among the rural populations of Oklahoma. Additionally, the high mortality rates for most types of cancer experienced by the state’s rural population underscores the need to improve cancer detection and treatment in these locations. •Urban areas had a higher rates of female breast cancer cases compared to urban areas.•Large and small rural areas had higher rates of lung cancer than urban areas.•Urban residents were more likely to report private insurance compared to rural residents.•Urban residents were less likely to report Medicare compared to rural residents.•Urban areas have higher incidence rates than rural areas, but lower mortality rates.