Journal article
Challenges of using nationally representative, population-based surveys to assess rural cancer disparities
Preventive medicine, Vol.129, pp.105812-105812
12/2019
DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105812
PMCID: PMC7289622
PMID: 31422226
Abstract
Population-based surveys provide important information about cancer-related health behaviors across the cancer care continuum, from prevention to survivorship, to inform cancer control efforts. These surveys can illuminate cancer disparities among specific populations, including rural communities. However, due to small rural sample sizes, varying sampling methods, and/or other study design or analytical concerns, there are challenges in using population-based surveys for rural cancer control research and practice. Our objective is three-fold. First, we examined the characterization of “rural” in four, population-based surveys commonly referenced in the literature: 1) Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS); 2) National Health Interview Survey (NHIS); 3) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS); and 4) Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS). Second, we identified and described the challenges of using these surveys in rural cancer studies. Third, we proposed solutions to address these challenges. We found that these surveys varied in use of rural-urban classifications, sampling methodology, and available cancer-related variables. Further, we found that accessibility of these data to non-federal researchers has changed over time. Survey data have become restricted based on small numbers (i.e., BRFSS) and have made rural-urban measures only available for analysis at Research Data Centers (i.e., NHIS and MEPS). Additionally, studies that used these surveys reported varying proportions of rural participants with noted limitations in sufficient representation of rural minorities and/or cancer survivors. In order to mitigate these challenges, we propose two solutions: 1) make rural-urban measures more accessible to non-federal researchers and 2) implement sampling approaches to oversample rural populations.
•Population-based surveys can provide important cancer-related information.•Population-based surveys have challenges when applied to rural populations.•Rural-urban measures should be more accessible to researchers.•Rural populations should be oversampled to improve representativeness
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Challenges of using nationally representative, population-based surveys to assess rural cancer disparities
- Creators
- Whitney E Zahnd - Rural and Minority Health Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 220 Stoneridge Dr. Suite 204, Columbia, SC 29210, United States of AmericaNatoshia Askelson - Department of Community and Behavioral Health, College of Public Health, University of Iowa, 145 N. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, United States of AmericaRobin C Vanderpool - Department of Health, Behavior & Society, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 111 Washington Avenue, Lexington, KY 40536, United States of AmericaLindsay Stradtman - Department of Health, Behavior & Society, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 111 Washington Avenue, Lexington, KY 40536, United States of AmericaJean Edward - College of Nursing, University of Kentucky, 751 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536, United States of AmericaPaige E Farris - OHSU-PSU School of Public Health, Oregon Health & Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, United States of AmericaVictoria Petermann - School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carrington Hall Campus Box #7460, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7460, United States of AmericaJan M Eberth - Rural and Minority Health Research Center, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, 220 Stoneridge Dr. Suite 204, Columbia, SC 29210, United States of America
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Preventive medicine, Vol.129, pp.105812-105812
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.ypmed.2019.105812
- PMID
- 31422226
- PMCID
- PMC7289622
- NLM abbreviation
- Prev Med
- ISSN
- 0091-7435
- eISSN
- 1096-0260
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000030, name: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; DOI: 10.13039/100000054, name: National Cancer Institute, award: 3 U48 DP005000-01S2, 3 U48 DP005006-01S3, 3 U48 DP005014-01S2, 3 U48 DP005013-01S1A3, 3 U48 DP005021-01S4; DOI: 10.13039/100010001, name: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy; DOI: 10.13039/100000102, name: Health Resources and Services Administration; DOI: 10.13039/100000016, name: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; name: Cancer Prevention and Control Network; DOI: 10.13039/100007890, name: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; DOI: 10.13039/100008136, name: Case Western Reserve University; DOI: 10.13039/100006668, name: Oregon Health & Science University; DOI: 10.13039/100008899, name: University of South Carolina; DOI: 10.13039/100008893, name: University of Iowa; DOI: 10.13039/100007472, name: University of Kentucky; DOI: 10.13039/100006920, name: University of Pennsylvania; DOI: 10.13039/100007812, name: University of Washington
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/2019
- Academic Unit
- Health Management and Policy; Injury Prevention Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive); Community and Behavioral Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984214800202771
Metrics
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