Back to Search
Start Over
The socioeconomic determinants of cancer.
- Source :
-
Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source . 2011 Supplement 1, Vol. 10 Issue Suppl 1, pS7-S7. 1p. - Publication Year :
- 2011
-
Abstract
- This paper provides a synthesis on socioeconomic inequalities in cancer incidence, mortality and survival across countries and within countries, with particular focus on the Italian context; the paper also describes the underlying mechanisms documented for cancer incidence, and reports some remarks on policies to tackle inequalities.From a worldwide perspective, the burden of cancer appears to be particularly increasing in developing countries, where many cancers with a poor prognosis (liver, stomach and oesophagus) are much more common than in richer countries. As in the case of incidence and mortality, also in cancer survival we observe a great variability across countries. Different studies have suggested a possible impact of health care on the social gradients in cancer survival, even in countries with a National Health System providing equitable access to care.In developed countries, there is increasing awareness of social inequalities as an important public health issue; as a consequence, there is a variety of strategies and policies being implemented throughout Europe. However, recent reviews emphasize that present knowledge on effectiveness of policies and interventions on health inequalities is not sufficient to offer a robust and evidence-based guide to the choice and design of interventions, and that more evaluation studies are needed.The large disparities in health that we can measure within and between countries represent a challenge to the world; social health inequalities are avoidable, and their reduction therefore represents an achievable goal and an ethical imperative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1476069X
- Volume :
- 10
- Issue :
- Suppl 1
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 104874645
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1186/1476-069X-10-S1-S7