Lung cancer and equity report

What does the inequity look like?

There are marked differences in lung cancer incidence and survival rates for people with lower income and people who live in rural or remote communities.


Lung cancer incidence

Income

People with lower income are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those with higher income.

People with lower income are nearly twice as likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer than those with higher income

Data source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Cancer Registry (2013-2015) linked with T1 Family File

Lung cancer survival

 

People with lower income are less likely to survive lung cancer than people with higher income.

People with lower income are less likely to survive lung cancer than people with higher income.

Data source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Cancer Registry (2010-2011) linked with Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database and T1 Family File


Geography

People who live in rural communities are more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer compared to those who live in urban communities.

People who live in rural communities are more likely to be diagnosed with lung cancer compared to those who live in urban communities.

Statistics Canada, Canadian Cancer Registry (2013–2015) linked with T1 Family File


 

Survival rates are similar among people living in urban and rural communities.

 

Survival rates are similar among people living in urban and rural communities.

Data source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Cancer Registry (2010-2011) linked with Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database and T1 Family File

Differences in lung cancer incidence largely reflect differences in commercial tobacco use and occupational exposure to carcinogens, which are influenced by the social determinants of health.

Differences in lung cancer survival largely reflect differences in stage at diagnosis and access to treatment, which are influenced by the social determinants of health.