Relationship between the Human Development Index and its Components with Oral Cancer in Latin America

• Published in: Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health Vol. 9; no. 4; pp. 223 - 232
• Main Authors: Herrera-Serna, Brenda Yuliana, Lara-Carrillo, Edith, Toral-Rizo, Victor Hugo, Cristina do Amaral, Regiane, Aguilera-Eguía, Raul Alberto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01-12-2019; Springer Nature B.V; Atlantis Press; Springer
• Subjects: development indicators; Ecological studies; ecological study; Human Development Index; Latin America; Mortality; mouth neoplasms; Oral cancer; Research Article; socioeconomic factors; Latin America; ecological study; socioeconomic factors; development indicators; mouth neoplasms; Latin America
• ISSN: 2210-6006; 2210-6014
• DOI: 10.2991/jegh.k.191105.001

To evaluate the relationship between the Human Development Index (HDI) and its components with oral cancer (OC) in Latin America. Ecological study in 20 Latin American countries in 2010 and 2017, which evaluated the relationship between the Age-Standardized Rates (ASRs) of incidence and mortality from oral cancer and the following indicators: HDI, with its components (income, education, and health indexes); and the Gini and Theil-L indexes. Among the countries with the highest HDI, men from Brazil and Cuba had the highest incidence and mortality ASRs per 100,000 inhabitants (ASR incidence >7.5 and mortality >4.5). Among those with the lowest HDI, Haiti was the most affected country (ASR incidence >4.1 and mortality >3.0). The highest male:female ratio was in Paraguay in both years (incidence >3.5 and mortality >4.0). Mortality from oral cancer is negatively related to the global HDI in both years, with regression coefficients (95% confidence interval) being −5.78 (−11.77, 0.20) in 2010 and −5.97 (−11.38, −0.56) in 2017; and separate (independent) from the income [−4.57 (−9.92, 0.77) in 2010 and −4.84 (−9.52, −0.17) in 2017] and health indexes [−5.81 (−11.10, −0.52) and −6.52 (−11.32, −1.72) in 2017] (
p
< 0.05) in the countries with lower HDI. Oral cancer incidence and mortality rates vary both among and within Latin American countries according to sex, with a greater burden on men. The HDI is negatively related to mortality from oral cancer in the countries of medium and low HDI.