Abstract
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.
Highlights
Oral cancer (OC) affects the lips, oral mucosa, gums, palate, tongue, floor of the mouth, and the retromolar area (ICD-11 2B60-2B69) [1]
This may be due to a lack of visibility of the problem and of the effect that socioeconomic factors and other inequalities have on its distribution [9,10,11,12], especially with the inequality characteristics that are particular to Latin America [10,13]
Brazil and Cuba are among the countries with greater incidence of and mortality from OC; both are considered as high Human Development Index (HDI) countries
Summary
Oral cancer (OC) affects the lips, oral mucosa, gums, palate, tongue, floor of the mouth, and the retromolar area (ICD-11 2B60-2B69) [1]. Latin America is a region characterized by high incidence rates for OC, with Brazil, Cuba, and Uruguay leading [5] It is the fifth most frequent cancer among men in Brazil [6]; whereas men in Cuba present a higher mortality for this type of cancer in comparison with their peers in the United States and Canada, with a tendency to increase [7]. This reflects a clear disparity between sexes, where men bear 72% of the burden of this disease in the region, with standardized mortality ratios from OC (8.7) being surpassed only by lung cancer (11.0) [8]. It has been shown that the Mortality Incidence Ratio reflects patterns of a population’s cancer risk, survival at 5 years, and flaws in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment methods over the same period of time [17,18,19]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
