<p> Using maps, correlation and multiple regression, an ecologic
analysis was performed to examine the geographic
distribution of cancer incidence in ontario with respect to
selected ethnic, socio-economic and environmental
characteristics for the 10 year period, 1976-1985. Two of
the most common causes of cancer deaths, stomach and lung,
were studied for each sex separately. The unit of analysis
consisted of census divisions. The information used for the
cancer were standardized incidence rates from the Ontario
cancer Registry. The data for the ecologic variables was
obtained from the 1981 Census of Canada. Two of the
ecologic variables, education and income (low and median)
were used to account for the effects of smoking. </p> <p> Correlation co-efficients were significant for both
sites of cancer for males and females for % urban and
population density revealing the possibility of a positive
relationship with cancer incidence and environmental
characteristics. Ethnicity was strongly related to male and
female stomach cancer. </p> <p> Significant regression models were obtained for each of
the cancer sites using a stepwise procedure with backward
elimination. For each of the "best fit" equations, median
income and education were included to control for smoking
effects. Population density was significant in all
equations at the 0.05 level. The percentage urban was
significant for all except female stomach cancer.
Manufacturing had a negative significant relationship for
all cancer sites (male and female). </p> <p> Also included in the study were descriptive statistics
and cancer maps to determine the strongest cancer
distributions in Ontario. For each site, northern Ontario
contained the highest rates. In southern Ontario, urban
areas such as Hamilton-Wentworth, and Toronto-York had high
rates for all cancers (except Hamilton-Wentworth for male
lung cancer). </p> / Thesis / Bachelor of Arts (BA)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:mcmaster.ca/oai:macsphere.mcmaster.ca:11375/19939 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Shebib, Michelle |
| Contributors | Taylor, S. M., Geography |
| Source Sets | McMaster University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
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