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The association of near poverty status with cancer incidence among black and white adults

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Abstract

This cumulative incidence study was accomplished among adults in Upstate New York metropolitan areas (Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany—1979–1986). It used a new ecological socioeconomic status measure—near poverty status (i.e., below 200% of the federally established poverty criterion, including the poor and near poor)-and observed its association with site-specific cancer incidence (lung, stomach, cervix uteri, prostate, colon, rectum and breast). Findings were: 1) near poverty status is directly associated with each cancer site's incidence and the strength of the associations are similar among blacks and whites for each one and 2) the prevalence of exposure, of living in high near impoverishment areas, is nearly seven-fold greater among blacks; prevalence ratio [PR]=6.74 (95% confidence interval [CI]:5.07,8.99).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset, N9B 3P4, Windsor, Ontario, Canada

    Kevin M. Gorey PhD (Assistant Professor)

  2. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, State University of New York at Buffalo, 3435 Main Street, Farber Hall, Rm 270, 14214, Buffalo, NY, USA

    John E. Vena PhD (Associate Chair and Associate Professor)

Authors
  1. Kevin M. Gorey PhD
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  2. John E. Vena PhD
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Additional information

This work was supported by Grant No. CA09051-17 from the National Cancer Institute. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance provided by Drs. Nancy Krieger (Kaiser Foundation Research Institute, Oakland, CA), Richard G. Wilkinson (University of Sussex at Brighton, England), Maria A. Zielezny (Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Univeristy at Buffalo) and Arthur M. Michalek (Education and Epidemiology Departments, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY) who critically reviewed earlier draft versions of this manuscript. The administrative assistance provided by the director of New York State's (NYS) Cancer Registry, Dr. Mark S. Baptiste (Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology, NYS Department of Health), is also gratefully acknowledged.

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Gorey, K.M., Vena, J.E. The association of near poverty status with cancer incidence among black and white adults. J Community Health 20, 359–366 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02283060

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