Ecologic Surveillance

The analysis and monitoring of health and disease outcomes for various communities and population subgroups by important social, economic, and environmental characteristics is known as ecologic surveillance. For cancer, community-level data obtained from the census and other population data sources (containing area-based social, demographic, behavioral, and environmental data) are used to provide insight into rates and trends, particularly with regard to a possible differential impact of cancer control interventions by socioeconomic factors and urbanization.

In the SEER Program, NCI researchers have used detailed census data on education, income, housing, and transportation, to develop a comprehensive area-based index of socioeconomic status for the United States at the census tract and county levels. These data have been linked to the national mortality data and the SEER cancer incidence data. Using this area index, changing socioeconomic patterns are examined in overall cancer mortality and in lung and colorectal cancer mortality among U.S. men and women from 1950 to 1998. Two recently published papers include:

Singh GK, Miller BA, Hankey BF, Feuer EJ, Pickle LW. Changing area socioeconomic patterns in US cancer mortality, 1950-1998: Part I -- All cancers among men. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002;94:904-15.

Singh GK, Miller BA, Hankey BF. Changing area socioeconomic patterns in US cancer mortality, 1950-1998: Part II -- Lung and colorectal cancers. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002;94:916-25.