Unpacking cancer diagnosis among Latin Americans in Canada: disparities and protective patterns

Latin Americans are among the fastest-growing racialized groups in Canada but remain largely invisible in cancer surveillance and research. This study examines cancer diagnosis among Latin Americans compared to non-Latin American White and other racialized populations and explores how diagnosis varies across sociodemographic subgroups.

Secondary analysis of pooled data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (2015-2018) was conducted. The analytic sample included 177,754 adults aged 18 or older, of whom 1799 identified as Latin American. Logistic regression models estimated the association between ethnicity and self-reported cancer diagnosis, with interaction terms testing moderation by sex, education, income, and immigration status.

Latin Americans had lower odds of reporting a cancer diagnosis than non-Latin American Whites (OR = 0.69; 95% CI, 0.52-0.92). Subgroup analyses showed stronger protection among males than females, those with mid-range incomes compared to lower or higher earners, and immigrants relative to Canadian-born Latin Americans. Individuals with graduate or limited secondary education also showed greater protection than other education levels.

While Latin Americans in Canada appear to experience a protective advantage in overall cancer prevalence, this advantage is not uniform. Disparities persist across sex, socioeconomic position, and immigration status, pointing to structural inequities that remain despite universal coverage. Equity-oriented cancer prevention strategies-including culturally tailored outreach, improved screening access, and systematic collection of race and ethnicity data-are needed to ensure that Latin Americans are not rendered invisible in Canadian cancer care.