Gender disparities in lung cancer and social determinants of environmental risk

Background: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death in Illinois. While tobacco use is the primary risk factor, environmental exposures and social determinants of health (SDOH)-such as housing conditions and socioeconomic vulnerability-also shape cancer risk across geographic and demographic groups. Objectives: This study examines the impact of radon exposure, smoking prevalence, and housing-related vulnerability on lung cancer incidence among males and females across all 102 counties in Illinois. Methods: We conducted comprehensive county-level analyses of social determinants of health indicators to examine their influence on lung cancer using sex-stratified, age-adjusted lung cancer incidence rates (2017-2021 average). Additionally, further examinations using spatial analyses with bi-variate choropleth mapping approaches were performed to target underserved populations. Independent variables included radon exposures, such as average residential radon levels, adult smoking prevalence, and housing-related indicators from the CDC/ATSDR Social Vulnerability Index (SVI). Multivariate linear regression models were developed separately for males and females. Geospatial bivariate choropleth maps were created to highlight overlapping hotspots of cancer burden and environmental exposures. Results: = 0.009). Geospatial analyses identified priority regions for targeted interventions, including high-risk radon zones in northwestern Illinois for females and housing-vulnerable counties in central and eastern Illinois for males. Conclusion: This study highlights the role of sex-specific interactions between environmental risk and social vulnerability in contributing to lung cancer disparities. Integrating geospatial and ecological analyses through the SDOH lens can inform tailored public health interventions that advance health equity and environmental justice in cancer prevention

Environmental justice · Geospatial analysis · Health equity · Lung cancer · Psychological intervention · Public health · Social determinants of health · Data-Driven Disease Surveillance · Environmental Justice and Health Disparities · Radioactivity and Radon Measurements

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