Higher Incarceration Rates Linked to Increased Cancer Mortality Rates
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Sept. 20, 2024 -- Higher incarceration rates are associated with increased county- and state-level cancer mortality rates, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Jingxuan Zhao, Ph.D., M.P.H., from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and colleagues examined the association of county-level jail and state-level prison incarceration rates and cancer mortality rates in the United States.
The researchers found that the second, third, and fourth quartiles of county-level jail incarceration rates were associated with 1.3, 2.3, and 3.9 percent higher county-level cancer mortality rates, respectively, compared with the first quartile (lowest rate) in adjusted analyses. The second, third, and fourth quartiles of state-level prison incarceration rates were associated with 1.7, 2.5, and 3.9 percent higher state-level cancer mortality rates, respectively, compared with the first quartile. For liver and lung cancers, the associations were more pronounced.
"Higher jail and prison incarceration rates were associated with worse cancer mortality in counties and states, suggesting the carceral system may have negative health effects on entire communities," the authors write.
One author has served on the Flatiron Health Equity Advisory Board.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted September 2024
Read this next
Parent-Reported Firearm Storage Poor Estimator of Teen Perceived Access
MONDAY, June 16, 2025 -- Parent-reported firearm storage seems to be a poor estimator of teen perceived firearm access, according to a study published online June 10 in JAMA...
Incidence Rates of Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma Increasing
MONDAY, June 16, 2025 -- The incidence rates of appendiceal adenocarcinoma (AA) increased after 1945, according to a study published online June 10 in the Annals of Internal...
CT Colonography Cost-Effective, Clinically Effective for CRC Screening
MONDAY, June 16, 2025 -- Computed tomography colonography (CTC) is cost-effective and clinically effective for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, according to a study published...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.