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Cancer Burden in Neighborhoods With Greater Racial Diversity and Environmental Burden
Jessica R Bobbitt1,2,3, Fangzhou Liu4, Ruth A Keri2,3
1Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio.
JAMA Network Open
|June 20, 2025
Summary
Ohio faces high cancer rates linked to environmental burden and race. Areas with high pollution and minority populations show significantly increased cancer incidence, particularly lung cancer, highlighting the need for targeted community interventions.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Cancer Epidemiology
- Health Disparities
Background:
- Ohio exhibits high environmental burden and disproportionately elevated lung or bronchus cancer incidence rates.
- Environmental justice is a critical concern, particularly regarding the cumulative impact on minoritized populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between environmental burden and cancer incidence in Ohio.
- To examine the relationship between minoritized populations and cancer rates.
- To assess the combined impact of environmental burden and minoritized status on cancer incidence.
Main Methods:
- An area-level cohort study design was employed, analyzing mean annual age-adjusted cancer incidence rates in Ohio from 2011 to 2020.
- Environmental burden and racial/ethnic composition data were sourced from the CDC's Environmental Justice Index.
- Cancer incidence data (overall and lung/bronchus-specific) were obtained from the Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System.
Main Results:
- Higher environmental burden quartiles were associated with increased overall cancer incidence (Q4 vs Q1: 61.1 cases per 100,000).
- Areas with higher proportions of minoritized individuals showed significantly increased overall cancer (Q4 vs Q1: 81.27 per 100,000) and lung/bronchus cancer (Q4 vs Q1: 24.99 per 100,000).
- Census tracts with both high environmental burden and high proportions of minoritized populations exhibited the highest cancer rates, including a 58.9% increase in lung and bronchus cancer incidence.
Conclusions:
- Cancer incidence rates in Ohio are significantly associated with both environmental burden and the racial/ethnic composition of the population.
- The findings underscore the disproportionate impact of environmental injustice on minoritized communities.
- Sustained community interventions are crucial in census regions with high environmental burden and significant minoritized populations to address these health disparities.
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