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Cancer mortality by educational level in Italy
1Department of Hygiene and Community Medicine, University of Turin, Italy.
Cancer Causes & Control : CCC
|July 1, 1995
Summary
Cancer mortality shows significant social disparities in Italy, with lower educational levels linked to higher risks for several cancers. Conversely, some cancers like colon and breast cancer showed inverse relationships with socioeconomic status.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Sociology
Background:
- Social inequalities in health are a significant ethical and scientific concern.
- Assessing and explaining these health differences is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate social differences in cancer mortality in Italy using nationwide data.
- To identify specific cancer types and demographic groups affected by these disparities.
Main Methods:
- Utilized nationwide record-linkage between the 1981 census and the national death index.
- Analyzed cancer deaths (31,000) and person-years at risk (18 million) in the six months post-census.
- Employed Poisson regression models adjusted for age and geographic area, using educational level as a social indicator.
Main Results:
- Significant social differences in cancer mortality were observed.
- Higher risks for buccal cavity, esophagus, stomach, and larynx cancers among men with lower educational levels.
- Higher risks for stomach and uterus cancers among women with lower educational levels.
- Inverse relationships (lower risk with lower education) noted for colon, pancreas, breast, and ovarian cancers, and melanoma.
Conclusions:
- The Italian population in the early 1980s exhibited substantial social inequalities in cancer mortality risk.
- Findings align with patterns observed in other developed nations like Great Britain, France, and New Zealand.
- Identified regional variations (e.g., Northern Italian men, Southern Italian women) suggest potential mechanisms for health inequality.