Selected Comparisons of Measures of Health Disparities: A Review Using Databases Relevant to Healthy People 2010 Cancer-Related Objectives
This report uses case studies to analyze the performance and appropriateness of various potential measures of health disparities. It complements a previous monograph, Methods for Measuring Cancer Disparities: Using Data Relevant to Healthy People 2010 Cancer-Related Objectives, which evaluated measures of disparity on theoretical grounds. The current monograph presents results from 22 separate analyses in 10 case studies and includes assessments of socioeconomic, race, ethnic, and geographic disparities in a range of cancer-related outcomes, such as mortality, incidence, risk factors, and screening. Overall, the report demonstrates that the choice of particular methods for measuring health disparities makes a substantive difference in the results and interpretation of data.
The monograph was published in 2007 and written under contract
from the Surveillance
Research Program
and the Applied
Research Program of the Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences of the National Cancer Institute, NIH.
The monograph is provided in Portable Document Format (PDF). You may use the PDFs to view or print the chapters, or you may order a printed copy of the book.
Monograph Chapters (PDF Files)
- Contents and Executive Summary (199 KB)
- Introduction and Methods (257 KB)
- Results (2.2 MB)
- Results Summary (194 KB)
- Conclusions (47 KB)
- Appendix: Random Variation (221 KB)
- References (31 KB)
- Errata
Download monograph in single PDF file (3.3 MB)
Accessible Version of the Monograph
For those using assistive technology (such as a screen reader or other adaptive tool), the first file contains the report with the graphical formatting removed, and the second file presents the underlying raw data for certain figures in alternative format data tables. For help in interpreting figures and formulas, e-mail webaccessibility@imsweb.com. Include the web address and/or publication title in the message.
- Health Disparities Monograph (PDF - 1.2 MB)
- Disparities supplemental data tables (XLS - 77 KB)
Suggested Citation
Harper S, Lynch J. Selected Comparisons of Measures of Health Disparities: A Review Using Databases Relevant to Healthy People 2010 Cancer-Related Objectives. NCI Cancer Surveillance Monograph Series, Number 7. National Cancer Institute. NIH Pub. No. 07-6281, Bethesda, MD, 2007.
Copyright Information
All material in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.
Download the fact sheet, Selected Comparisons of Measures of Health Disparities: A Review Using Databases Relevant to Healthy People 2010 Cancer-Related Objectives (PDF).
