Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42570131›Full record

ArticleCancer causes & control : CCC2026

Long-term poverty, rurality, and geographic disparities in colorectal cancer: a spatial analysis in Texas.

Ryan Ramphul, Tracey Farrigan, Yixiao Chen, Yanchen Liu, Jooyeon Lee, Ruth Rechis, Karen Basen-Engquist, Lorna McNeill

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Cancer causes & control : CCC, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ryan RamphulDepartment of Epidemiology, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. Ryan.Ramphul@uth.tmc.edu.
Tracey FarriganResource & Rural Economics Division, Economic Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 355 E St SW, Washington, DC, 20024, USA.
Yixiao ChenDepartment of Biostatistics and Data Science, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Yanchen LiuDepartment of Epidemiology, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Jooyeon LeeDepartment of Biostatistics and Data Science, UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, 1200 Pressler St, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Ruth RechisDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention & Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Karen Basen-EngquistDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention & Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
Lorna McNeillDepartment of Health Disparities Research, Division of Cancer Prevention & Population Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.

Funding

Research Project #2U54CA280804 · NCI · UNIVERSITY OF TX MD ANDERSON CAN CTR · PI KAREN M BASEN-ENGQUIST, LORNA H. MCNEILL · 2023 to 2026
$9.8M
National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health 1U54CA280804NCI NIH HHS U54 CA280804
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeColorectal cancer (CRC) remains a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States and shows substantial geographic variation. Socioeconomically disadvantaged communities experience elevated CRC incidence, yet few studies have analyzed multi-decade poverty measures for long-term structural disadvantage.

methodsWe analyzed CRC incidence from 2017 to 2021 across Texas using Texas Cancer Registry data. Age-sex-race/ethnicity standardized cases were incorporated as offsets in Bayesian spatial models to generate tract-level posterior mean relative risks. We evaluated four tract-level poverty measures (high poverty in 2021; persistent poverty since 1990; enduring poverty since 1980 and 1970), Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) classifications, and CRC screening rates among adults aged 50-75 years.

resultsLong-term poverty and rurality were independently associated with elevated CRC risk. Compared with urban tracts, micropolitan and rural tracts had 7-8% higher risks. Poverty measures defined over longer durations showed stronger associations with CRC incidence: high poverty in 2017-2021 (RR = 1.04, 95% CrI: 1.01-1.07), persistent poverty since 1990 (RR = 1.04, 1.00-1.08), enduring poverty since 1980 (RR = 1.06, 1.01-1.11), and enduring poverty since 1970 (RR = 1.09, 1.04-1.15). Higher tract-level CRC screening prevalence was inversely associated with CRC incidence (RR per 1% increase = 0.99).

conclusionLong-term poverty and rural residence were associated with elevated CRC risk in Texas, even after adjusting for screening prevalence. Multi-decade poverty measures and updated RUCA classifications identified geographic disparities not captured by single-year poverty indicators and supported geographically targeted screening, prevention, and resource allocation efforts. These results can inform geographically targeted, efficiency-focused screening and prevention strategies, particularly in communities experiencing decades of structural disadvantage.

Indexed as

Colorectal NeoplasmsPovertyRural PopulationAgedEarly Detection of CancerFemaleHumansIncidenceMaleMiddle AgedRegistriesSocioeconomic Disparities in HealthSpatial AnalysisTexasCancerColorectalGeospatialPersistentPovertyRural

Identifiers

PMID42570131
PMCPMC13452776

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.