PANCREATIC cancer mortality remained positively associated with area-level socioeconomic deprivation in Japan, particularly among men aged under 75 years, according to a nationwide ecological study using data from 2015–2022.
The researchers investigated whether previously reported socioeconomic inequalities in pancreatic cancer mortality had persisted in recent years. The study used a multilevel framework to assess differences in mortality across municipalities while accounting for regional characteristics.
Pancreatic cancer deaths were identified using Japan’s Vital Statistics from 2015–2022, while socioeconomic and population data were obtained from the 2015 and 2020 Population Censuses. Municipality-level deprivation was derived using the Area Deprivation Index.
The researchers used multilevel Poisson models with a random intercept, accounting for municipalities nested within secondary medical areas. The analysis incorporated several regional characteristics, including estimated municipality-level smoking rates, the Rurality Index for Japan and the absence of Designated Cancer Care Hospitals.
The data showed a positive association between deprivation and pancreatic cancer mortality after these covariates were incorporated. This association was particularly evident among men aged under 75 years, for whom the mortality rate ratio was 1.12 (95% CI: 1.08–1.16).
A weaker positive association between deprivation and pancreatic cancer mortality was also observed among women aged under 75 years. The findings indicated that socioeconomic inequalities in pancreatic cancer mortality persisted after accounting for several regional characteristics.
The researchers reported that the findings provided updated evidence that socioeconomic inequality in pancreatic cancer mortality remained evident among men in Japan during 2015–2022.
The multilevel approach allowed the researchers to examine area-level deprivation while accounting for characteristics that varied between regions. These included smoking rates, rurality and the absence of Designated Cancer Care Hospitals.
The study therefore highlighted continued socioeconomic differences in pancreatic cancer mortality in Japan. Among men aged under 75 years, the positive association between deprivation and mortality remained after adjustment for the regional characteristics included in the analysis. A weaker positive association was also observed among women in the same age group.
Reference
Sudo Y et al. Area-level socioeconomic inequalities in pancreatic cancer mortality in Japan: a multilevel analysis. Sci Rep. 2026;DOI:10.1038/s41598-026-71547-6.
Featured Image: VTT Studio on Adobe Stock
Each article is made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial 4.0 License.
