Address at Diagnosis: Place Matters

Abstract

Cancer risk varies by geography. Epidemiologists can apply a spatial approach to recognize geographic patterns and test associations in order to postulate about community health and etiologic pathways, and to determine public health action. Geospatial applications are valuable tools to evaluate geographic differences, which are often drive by social disparities. However, relevant conclusions hinge on data limitations, including data quality. Recording address is critical for a geographic information system (GIS) and geospatial studies of cancer surveillance data. Address is used to geocode cases, as well as to append census and other data to a cancer case. New North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) tract-level codes are derived based on the geocoded address at diagnosis (Address at DX) and have enabled significant national-level research on the association of cancer and socioeconomic status.