Wealth, White Women, and Cancer

A new study published in the Archives of Dermatology finds the rate of melanoma for women between the ages of 15 and 39 is highest among those who earn the most.

The study was focused on non-Hispanic white women, a demographic that has seen a dramatic increase in the rate of melanoma. Using data from the California Cancer Registry, the U.S. Census and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the researchers looked at 3,800 women who had been diagnosed with 3,842 cases of malignant melanoma. The data was examined in two time periods, 1988 to 1992 and 1998 to 2002.

The Los Angeles Times reports the following findings:

• Teens and women in the top 20% of socioeconomic status (SES) were six times more likely to be diagnosed with melanoma than their counterparts in the bottom 20%.
• Among teens and women who lived in neighborhoods with the most UV radiation exposure, the rate of melanoma diagnosis was 73% higher for those in the top 20% of SES compared with those in the bottom 20%.
• Among teens and women who lived in neighborhoods with a middling amount of UV exposure, the rate of melanoma diagnosis was nearly three times higher for those in the top 20% of SES compared with those in the bottom 20%.
• For teens and women in the bottom 40% of SES, melanoma rates were essentially flat over the course of the study. For all other groups, the rate of diagnosis rose between the 1998-1992 period and the 1998-2002 period.

The researchers explain that it’s likely women with higher incomes participate in more activities that expose them to UV rays, including beach vacations, visiting tanning salons, or simply more outside leisure time.

The study is available here.

Vital Statistics

A roundup of some interesting studies making news. As always, a mention here doesn’t mean an endorsement.

Reality bites

New research suggests that those who are overly idealistic about their significant others may be more satisfied with their marriage than realists.

The study is based off of 193 couples, the average age being 27 years old, with incomes averaging between $40,000 and $70,000. Each participant completed surveys abut themselves, their significant other and their marriage every six months for a period of 3 years. Based on the information provided by each person about themselves and their partner, the research team developed a ranking of each person’s perception of their partner.

The results revealed that those who had an unrealistic image of their partner were happier with their marriage over the three years. The study authors could not determine how long this idealization may be associated with happiness due to the study’s length. The study is published in the April issue of Psychological Science.

United States vs. Canada: Which has the lower obesity rate?

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) compares obesity rates in the United States and Canada. The Associated Press reports that this is the first time the CDC has compared American obesity rates with another country.

The data, which was gathered between 2007 and 2009, reveals that approximately 24.1 percent of Canadians are obese compared to 34.4 percent of Americans.

The numbers were also broken down by ethnicity and gender, showing that 27 percent of Canadian men are considered obese compared to 33 percent of American men. The difference is even greater among women, 24 percent of Canadian women versus 36 percent of American women, NPR reports.

According to the AP, there was interestingly not a statistically significant difference in childhood obesity rates in Canada (12%) and the United States (15.5%).

Some other key findings of the report include:

• Among the non-Hispanic white population, the prevalence of obesity is lower in Canada than in the United States, but the difference is not as large as it is when comparing the entire populations.
• Between the late 1980s and 2007–2009, the prevalence of obesity increased in both Canada and the United States.
• In 2007–2009, the prevalence of obesity among young and middle-aged Canadian women was similar to that observed in U.S. women 20 years earlier.

The full report can be found here.