Description of Indicator
This indicator measures the cancer death rate per 100,000 residents in the three counties and Pennsylvania. The rate of death is adjusted for age.
Why is it important?
Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality in the nation. Many lifestyle or genetic factors are attributed to cancer diagnoses, such as tobacco use and unsafe or prolonged sun exposure. Tracking data and trends is essential to ascertain the health status of our community, the strain on health resources, and the economic impact of a less-than-healthy population.
How is the region performing?
The number of deaths from cancer decreased among all geographies in 2021 compared to the previous year. From 2013 to 2021, the three counties overall had a higher cancer death rate than Pennsylvania. In recent years, Wayne County had a higher cancer death rate than the other geographies, although it dropped significantly in 2019 to 130.0 before increasing to 187.8 in 2020.