Data / Statistics
Project Data and Relevant Statistics
Cancer is the second highest cause of death in the United States, and although AI/ANs do not have disproportionately high rates of incidence the problem of racial misclassification has perpetuated the belief that cancer is not a problem for our population.
Table 1 demonstrates the difference in cancer incidence rate estimates attained through the classic and linkage methods. The “Historical method” is the calculated rate prior to the misclassification study and the “Linkage method” is the rate after the linkage study.
Puukka E, Stehr-Green P, Becker T. Measuring the health status gap for American Indians/Alaska Natives: getting closer to the truth. American Journal of Public Health. 2005; vol. 95, no. 5:838-843.
As previously mentioned, the incidence rate for AI/ANs is not higher than for all races, but the cancer mortality rate among AI/AN cancer patients is very close to the mortality rate for all races (Table 2). Such a pattern is likely the result of late cancer diagnosis staging among AI/ANs making treatment less effective.
