Who you are and where you live affects your chances of getting, and surviving, cancer
As part of a series of cycles of loss, supported by a philanthropic grant from the Paul Ramsay Foundation, we published three articles on the social determinants of health. They looked at how factors such as your income, where you live, and your background influence your risk of cancer, dementia and heart disease. In Australia, the odds of living for at least five years after being diagnosed with cancer have increased from 51% to 70% over the past 30 years. But not everyone has the same opportunities. Likewise, your risk of developing cancer differs depending on where you live, how wealthy you are, and your parents’ wealth and social situation. How does your socioeconomic group affect your cancer risk? If you live in a socially disadvantaged area – defined by the low salaries of a largely unskilled workforce, high unemployment, and low levels of education – you have a 5% higher chance of developing cancer than those living in an area that most benefited. Your survival also tend...