Geographic residency status and census tract socioeconomic status as determinants of colorectal cancer outcomes

We examined the impact of geographic residency status and census tract (CT)-level socioeconomic status (SES) on colorectal cancer (CRC) outcomes.

This was a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with CRC in Georgia for the years 2000 through 2007. Study outcomes were late-stage disease at diagnosis, receipt of treatment, and survival.

For colon cancer, residents of lower-middle-SES and low-SES census tracts had decreased odds of receiving surgery. Rural, lower-middle-SES, and low-SES residents had decreased odds of receiving chemotherapy. For patients with rectal cancer, suburban residents had increased odds of receiving radiotherapy, but low SES resulted in decreased odds of surgery. For survival, rural residents experienced a partially adjusted 14% (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.07, 1.22) increased risk of death following diagnosis of CRC that was somewhat explained by treatment differences and completely explained by CT-level SES. Lower-middle- and low-SES participants had an adjusted increased risk of death following diagnosis for CRC (lower-middle: HR = 1.16; 95% CI = 1.10, 1.22; low: HR = 1.24; 95% CI = 1.16, 1.32).

Future efforts should focus on developing interventions and policies that target rural residents and lower SES areas to eliminate disparities in CRC-related outcomes.