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.

Monograph cover 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 PDF format.

Monograph Chapters (PDF Files)

Download monograph (PDF, 3.4 MB) in single PDF file

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.

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)