The results of a new study show the rate of colon cancer death in the United States for people with low socioeconomic status increased between 1980 and 2008 while it decreased during the same period for people with high socioeconomic status.
The study, "Fundamental Causes of Colorectal Cancer Mortality: The Implications of Informational Diffusion," was published in The Milbank Quarterly.
The researchers also found that the diffusion of and the access to new medical information helps reduce the death rate.
The researchers examined the number of colorectal cancer deaths in U.S. counties between 1968 and 2008, and used geographical mapping to examine disparities in colorectal cancer mortality as a function of socioeconomic status and the rate of diffusion of information.
"By examining geographical and contextual factors, we confirm the importance of fundamental cause theory in determining how social disparities in colorectal cancer arise," the researchers concluded. "Socioeconomic inequalities in colorectal cancer mortality are increasing substantially and are likely to continue to grow over time. Our analyses are therefore both novel and timely because they demonstrate that diffusing relevant information and innovation may both help protect individuals from mortality and reduce social inequalities in mortality."
The study's lead author is Andrew Wang at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, New York. The work was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and the Canada / U.S. Fulbright Program.
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