Abstract B092: Area-level socioeconomic influences on rates of cervical and colon cancer screenings
Authors: Xuan Zherui , Cullen Jennifer 
Published: December 2023

Introduction and Study Purpose: Cancer screening is one of the most important preventive modifiers of cancer outcome. The general correlation between negative socioeconomic influences (SEIs) and poorer cancer screening rates is known. However, variations on SEI correlation with cancer screening need to be confirmed at a smaller local level since there could be significant local variations. CDC PLACES is a high resolution dataset that provides data on cancer screening rates at a census tract level with coverage across the US. It is made up of small area estimates constructed with demographic data in CDC BRFSS, poverty data from ACS, and other sources. With CDC PLACES and SEI data readily available on a census tract level, it is possible to calculate associations between cancer screening compliance and SEIs on a local level to better identify communities potentially benefiting from increased cancer screening. We hypothesize that cancer screening rates will be positively correlated with economic resources, education, insurance coverage, and decreased minority population. Methodology: We performed a retrospective cross-sectional study of cervical and colon cancer screening rates at a census tract level using data from CDC PLACES. This study included 378 of the 443 census tracts in Cuyahoga County, Ohio. 65 census tracts were excluded due to missing data. SEI census tract-level variables including race, gender, age, income, education, and health insurance coverage were obtained from ACS. Cancer screening rates were obtained from CDC PLACES. Linkage across datasource was conducted at the census tract level. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to examine associations between the selected SEI variables and cancer screening rates across all 378 census tracts. Results: Within the 378 census tracts examined, cervical and colon cancer screening rates in Cuyahoga County were correlated with a similar set of SEI variables. Positive correlations were observed between cervical and colon cancer screening rates with greater percent White population (r=0.35, p&lt;0.001; r=0.36, p&lt;0.001; respectively), formal education achievement (r=0.75, p&lt;0.001; r=0.79, p&lt;0.001; respectively), and private health insurance coverage (r=0.75, p&lt;0.001; r=0.81, p&lt;0.001; respectively). Conversely, cervical and colon cancer screening rates were negatively correlated with greater percent of Black population (r=-0.24, p&lt;0.001; r=-0.27, p&lt;0.001; respectively), lower English language fluency (r=-0.47, p&lt;0.001; r=-0.42, p&lt;0.001; respectively), higher unemployment (r=-0.47, p&lt;0.001; r=-0.51, p&lt;0.001; respectively), and publicly insured healthcare coverage (r=-0.65, p&lt;0.001; r=-0.67, p&lt;0.001; respectively). Conclusion: Small area correlations between cancer screening rates and SEIs has the potential to inform local policy and research that more accurately serves the health needs of smaller community regions.

Citation Format: Zherui Xuan, Jennifer Cullen. Area-level socioeconomic influences on rates of cervical and colon cancer screenings [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 16th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2023 Sep 29-Oct 2;Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2023;32(12 Suppl):Abstract nr B092.