Skin Cancer and Family Income: an Ecological Study

Abstract

Introduction: Recently, there has been an increase in the incidence of skin cancer. Solar radiation, family history, immunosuppression, fair skin and age are risk factors for the disease. Objective: To correlate skin cancer mortality with several socioeconomic variables. Method: An ecological study using the Solar Heating at Affordable (ASBC) Project Solar Radiation Incidence Worksheet, with indicators of living conditions from the 2010 Census. All the collected data were exported to SPSS 14.0, a tool where the correlation (Spearman correlation coefficient) was analyzed and the variables were compared. Results: Statistically significant associations between the mortality coefficient for malignant skin cancer, with mean family income (r=-0.316, p<0.006) were found, indicating that as high the income, lower is the mortality by malignant neoplasm, occurring the same with the proportion of avoidable deaths in children younger than 4 years (r=-0.292, p<0.01) and the proportion of avoidable deaths between 5 and 74 years (r=-0.372, p<0.001). The proportion of the population earning less than ½ minimum wage (r=0.232, p<0.05) indicates that as high the population proportion with income lower than ½ minimum wage, higher will be the mortality by malignant neoplasm, similar to the proportion of the population earning less than ¼ of the minimum wage (r=0.229, p<0.05). Conclusion: Although is a public health issue closely related to income, skin cancer needs initiatives targeted to primary and secondary prevention of the disease.