Distribution of socioeconomic factors among the new patients of skin cancer in Iran

AbstractBackground: The global burden of cancer due to population growth and aging and various environmental factors is increasing. Skin cancer is the most common cancer among Iranians, especially in men. There is strong evidence from both industrialized and less developed countries that cancer incidence and survival is related to socioeconomic factors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of socioeconomic factors including Human Development Index (HDI), unemployment rate, and urbanization ratio among new patients of skin cancer in Iran.Methods: The data was extracted from a longitudinal database of ۳۰ provinces of the country from ۲۰۰۷ to ۲۰۱۲. The database was part of cancer registry of the Ministry of Health andMedical Education. There were ۱۸۰ new cases of skin cancer, which were selected for thestudy. Socioeconomic data were collected from the Statistical Center of Iran, which includedvariables including HDI, urbanization ratio, and unemployment rate. For data analysisStataCorp. ۲۰۰۹. Stata Statistical Software: Release ۱۱. College Station, TX: StataCorp LP.,was used.Results: The average number of skin cancer cases with a mean±SD of ۲۰.۲±۱۰.۱۹ was higher in men than in women (۱۴.۶±۷.۴۵). The maximum number of skin cancer cases in men andwomen belonged to Isfahan Province (۳۲.۹) and Yazd Province (۲۳.۹), respectively. The fixedeffect model showed that each year, the risk of skin cancer increases ۲۰% in men and ۱۹% infemales (P<۰.۰۵). It also showed that urbanization rate and Log HDI were independentpredictors of skin cancer in both genders (female: urbanization rate OR=-۱.۳۲, Log HDI OR=-۳.۰۴) (male: urbanization rate OR=-۱.۱۹, Log HDI OR=-۳.۳۳).Conclusion: These findings suggest the independent role of HID and urbanization as two concepts of social determinants of health, on the number of skin cancer cases.

Keywords:

Iran , Socioeconomic Factors , Skin Neoplasms