Year of Publication

2023

College

Public Health

Date Available

5-10-2023

Degree Name

Master of Public Health (M.P.H.)

Committee Chair

Thomas C. Tucker, PhD, MPH

Committee Member

Jaclyn McDowell, DrPH

Committee Member

Steven Browning, PhD

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, and the state of Kentucky has a significant burden of lung cancer morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to examine the sociodemographic factors associated with late-stage lung cancer diagnosis in Kentucky. The present study is a retrospective, population-based cohort study that utilizes data from the Kentucky Cancer Registry to examine the associations between late-stage lung cancer diagnosis and sociodemographic factors. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariable analyses were conducted to estimate the significance of these associations. Significant relationships between the variables of sex, age, Appalachian status, and primary insurance payer were found after conducting bivariate analyses. Higher odds of late-stage lung cancer diagnosis were found in several demographic groups included in the study. Higher odds of late-stage lung cancer diagnosis were found among males, Appalachian cases, cases among individuals living alone, cases who wereage, cases who were aged 50-69, cases who were uninsured, and cases who received Medicaid benefits. Year of diagnosis was found to be a protective factor, with the odds of late-stage lung cancer diagnosis decreasing as year of diagnosis increased. Although results from the present study were found to be significant, additional research on the topic of sociodemographic factors and association with late-stage lung cancer diagnosis should be done to solidify understanding of this relationship.

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