Socioeconomic indicators and economic investments influence oral cancer mortality in Latin America.
BACKGROUND
It is necessary to recognize the influence of socioeconomic factors on oral cancer indicators in Latin American countries. This study aimed to analyze the influence of socioeconomic indicators and economical investments on oral cancer mortality rates in Latin American countries.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study considered the age-standardized mortality rate (ASR) of oral cancer within the period 2000-2015. The oral cancer mortality rate (for both sexes and age groups 40-59 and 60 years old or more), socioeconomic aspects (Gini Inequality Index, unemployment rate and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita) and investments in different sectors (%GDP invested in health per capita and by the government, %GDP invested in education by the government and %GDP invested in research and development) were considered. Tweedie multivariate regression was used to estimate the effect of independent variables on the mortality rate of oral cancer, considering p < 0.05.


RESULTS
This study showed that being male and aged 60 or over (PR = 14.7) was associated with higher mortality rate for oral cancer. In addition, greater inequality (PR = 1.05), higher health expenditure per capita (PR =1.09) and greater investment in research and development (PR = 1.81) were associated with a higher mortality rate from oral cancer.


CONCLUSION
Socioeconomic factors and economical investments influence the mortality rate of oral cancer in Latin American countries. This emphasizes oral cancer is a socioeconomic-mediated disease.
['Freire|Aldelany Ramalho|AR|0000-0002-8082-5883', 'Freire|Deborah Ellen Wanderley Gomes|DEWG|0000-0001-7680-0387', 'de Araújo|Elza Cristina Farias|ECF|0000-0002-8303-8914', 'de Almeida Carrer|Fernanda Campos|FC|0000-0003-3745-2759', 'PuccaJúnior|Gilberto Alfredo|GA|0000-0002-8781-9857', 'de Sousa|Simone Alves|SA|0000-0002-3254-9036', 'de Lucena|Edson Hilan Gomes|EHG|0000-0003-3431-115X', 'Cavalcanti|Yuri Wanderley|YW|0000-0002-3570-9904']
D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D005260:Female D059066:Gross Domestic Product D006801:Humans D007843:Latin America D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D009026:Mortality D009062:Mouth Neoplasms D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
Oral cancer Mortality Latin America Socioeconomic factors