Abstract B053: Rural-urban disparities in cancer risk factors and screening by United States census region
Authors: Hirko Kelly A. , Xu Huiwen , Rogers Laura Q. , Martin Michelle Y. , Roy Siddhartha , Kelly Kimberly M. , Christy Shannon M. , Ashing Kimlin Tam , Yi Jean C. , Lewis-Thames Marquita W. , Meade Cathy D. , Lu Qian , Gwede Clement K. , Ceballos Rachel M. , Menon Usha , Cueva Katie , Yeary Karen , Klesges Lisa , Baskin Monica L. , Alcaraz Kassandra I. , Ford Sabrina 
Published: December 2023

We examined rural-urban differences in the prevalence of cancer risk factors and screening behaviors across U.S. census regions to better understand variations within and between geographic regions and inform strategies to address rural cancer inequities. Using an ecological cross-sectional design, we examined rural-urban differences in the self-reported prevalence of county-level cancer risk factors (i.e., obesity, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption) and cancer screening behaviors (i.e., breast, colorectal and cervical) ascertained from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and National Health Interview Survey (2008-2013) across four U.S. census regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West).  County-level rurality was defined using 2013 U.S. Office of Management and Budget rural-urban classification codes, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service’s rural-urban continuum codes.  Chi-square tests assessed differences in the mean prevalence of county-level cancer risk factors and cancer screening behaviors in each geographic region.  Analysis of variance (ANOVA) models estimated the p-values for trends in cancer risk factors and screening prevalence across the rural-urban continuum. Within each geographic region, rural counties had a higher prevalence of smoking, obesity and physical inactivity.  Yet, rural-urban differences in cancer risk factors were not statistically significant in all geographic regions (e.g., prevalence of obesity for Western rural vs. urban counties was 26.5% vs. 25.7% [p=0.08] and physical inactivity for Northeastern rural vs. urban counties was 23.2% vs. 22.5% [p=0.15]).  Moreover, the mean prevalence of obesity was higher in urban areas of the Midwest (31%) and South (31.3%) compared to rural areas in the West (26.5%) and Northeast (29.5%).  Binge alcohol use was higher in rural vs. urban counties in the West (19.8% vs. 17.7%; p&lt;0.001) and Midwest (22.3% vs. 21.5%; p=0.006), but lower in the South (13.5% vs. 15.2%; p&lt;0.001).  Obesity and smoking prevalence increased with increasing rurality across all regions (ptrend&lt;0.045).  Breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening prevalence were lower in rural vs. urban counties in each geographic region (all p-values&lt;0.04).  However, the overall prevalence of screening across all cancer sites was higher in rural Northeast counties compared to both rural and urban counties in the South and West regions.   Across all regions, cervical and breast cancer screening decreased with increasing rurality (all ptrend&lt;0.001).  A significant inverse trend in prevalence of colorectal cancer screening with increasing rurality was observed in all regions except the Northeast (ptrend=0.17). Our findings suggest notable variations in rural-urban cancer risk factors and screening disparities across U.S. geographic regions.  Further exploration of the source of this geographic variation is warranted to ensure the development and implementation of relevant cancer control interventions targeting rural populations most in need.

Citation Format: Kelly A. Hirko, Huiwen Xu, Laura Q. Rogers, Michelle Y. Martin, Siddhartha Roy, Kimberly M. Kelly, Shannon M. Christy, Kimlin Tam Ashing, Jean C. Yi, Marquita W. Lewis-Thames, Cathy D. Meade, Qian Lu, Clement K. Gwede, Rachel M. Ceballos, Usha Menon, Katie Cueva, Karen Yeary, Lisa Klesges, Monica L. Baskin, Kassandra I. Alcaraz, Sabrina Ford. Rural-urban disparities in cancer risk factors and screening by United States census region [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 B053.