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. 2008 May;23(5):699-705.
doi: 10.1007/s11606-008-0545-9. Epub 2008 Mar 13.

Racial segregation and disparities in cancer stage for seniors

Jennifer S Haas  1 , Craig C Earle, John E Orav, Phyllis Brawarsky, Bridget A Neville, David R Williams
Affiliations

Racial segregation and disparities in cancer stage for seniors

Jennifer S Haas et al. J Gen Intern Med. 2008 May.

Abstract

Background: Disparities in cancer survival may be related to differences in stage. Segregation may be associated with disparities in stage, particularly for cancers for which screening promotes survival.

Objectives: The objective of the study was to examine whether segregation modifies racial/ethnic disparities in stage.

Design: The design of the study was analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare data for seniors with breast, colorectal, lung, and prostate cancer (n = 410,870).

Measurements and main results: The outcome was early- versus late-stage diagnosis. Area of residence was categorized into 4 groups: low segregation/high income (potentially the most advantaged), high segregation/high income, low segregation/low income, and high segregation/low income (possibly the most disadvantaged). Blacks were less likely than whites to be diagnosed with early-stage breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer, regardless of area. For colorectal cancer, the black/white disparity was largest in low-segregation/low-income areas (black/white odds ratio [OR] of early stage 0.51) and smallest in the most segregated areas (ORs 0.71 and 0.74, P < .005). Differences in disparities in stage by area category were not apparent for breast, prostate, or lung cancer. Whereas there were few Hispanic-white differences in early-stage diagnosis, the Hispanic/white disparity in early-stage diagnosis of breast cancer was largest in low-segregation/low-income areas (Hispanic/white OR of early stage 0.54) and smallest in high-segregation/low-income areas (OR 0.96, P < .05 compared to low-segregation/low-income areas).

Conclusions: Disparities in stages for cancers with an established screening test were smaller in more segregated areas.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Disparity in early-stage diagnosis by area category for black versus white individuals. Asterisk, P value comparing white–black difference in early-stage diagnosis for the low-segregation and low-income area to: low-segregation and high-income area (P = .03), high-segregation and high-income area (P = .004), and high-segregation and low-income area (P = .001).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Disparity in early-stage diagnosis by area category for Hispanic versus white individuals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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