Sociodemographic Inequalities in Blood Cancer Survival in Wales

Abstract

Research on how survival rates differ across blood cancer subtypes and vary by sociodemographic factors has been limited in the UK. Using data from 22,550 blood cancer cases in Welsh residents diagnosed between 2009 and 2019, we show marked variation in net-survival between blood cancer sub-types, significantly lower survival rates in the most deprived areas of Wales when compared to the least deprived, and higher survival rates in rural compared to mixed and urban areas. These findings not only highlight the need for policies aimed at reducing sociodemographic health disparities but also underscore the role of medical informatics in linking detailed diagnoses with sociodemographic data to inform targeted public health interventions.

Keywords: Blood cancer; haematology; net-survival; sociodemographic inequalities.