Top Five Cancer Health Disparities in Florida: Race, Ethnicity, Geographic Location and Socio-Economic Predictors

Abstract

Background: In 2019, cancer was found to be the second leading cause of death with an economic cost of over $90 billion in the United States. Cancer affects all population groups in the United States; however, certain populations may bear a disproportionate burden of cancer compared with other populations. In this study, we have examined cancer data from 1981-2015 on the top five cancers in Florida for predictors of advanced stages of diagnosis of each cancer. Materials & Methods: This study is a secondary analysis via data from the Florida Cancer Data System database. The odds for advanced stages of cancer regressed with demographic, insurance, and socioeconomic predictors. Results from the last 34 years and the last 15 years were compared to see the changes during this time. Results: Considerable differences were found in multiple factors for each type of cancer in this study. Most notably, breast cancer yielded a discrepancy for every category, including insurance status, race, and socioeconomic status. In contrast, the least number of identifiable disparities existed with melanoma of the skin. Conclusion: Although many interventions over the past 15 years have been aimed at reducing disparities in cancer outcomes, it appears that social determinants such as race, ethnicity, insurance, income, and geographic location still play a significant role as predictors of the advanced stage of a cancer diagnosis for lung, breast, prostate, colorectal, and melanoma of skin at initial diagnosis for Florida residents.