Urbanisation and Acute Lymphocytic Leukaemia in US Children
Author Information
Author(s): Adelman A S, McLaughlin C C, Wu X-C, Chen V W, Groves F D
Primary Institution: Medical University of South Carolina
Hypothesis
The incidence of acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) among US children aged 0–4 increases with increasing degree of urbanisation.
Conclusion
The study found that the incidence of ALL among white children was higher in urban areas compared to rural areas.
Supporting Evidence
- Among white children, the incidence of ALL decreased across four strata of urbanisation.
- Black children had a lower incidence of ALL compared to white children.
- Boys had a higher incidence of ALL than girls.
Takeaway
This study looked at how living in cities or rural areas affects the chances of young children getting a type of blood cancer called leukaemia. It found that kids in cities are more likely to get it than those in the countryside.
Methodology
The study used county-level incidence data from 24 cancer registries and compared rates of ALL across different levels of urbanisation.
Potential Biases
The findings may be influenced by unmeasured genetic or environmental risk factors associated with urban residence.
Limitations
The study is ecologic and does not assess individual-level traits or exposures, which may affect the results.
Participant Demographics
The study focused on children aged 0–4 years, with a majority being white, followed by black and Asian/Pacific Islander children.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.009
Confidence Interval
0.70–0.91
Statistical Significance
p=0.009
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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