THE IRISH CANCER Society has highlighted new research that shows you are twice as likely to die from cancer if you live in a poor area.
Death rates in some areas, notably some of the poorest parts of the Dublin region, are more than twice as high as more affluent areas.
Today, the cancer charity said the death rates are “worryingly high” and this must be tackled as a priority.
An interactive map has been compiled by Dr Jan Rigby, and colleagues from the Centre for Health Geoinformatics at NUI Maynooth, funded by the Health Research Board. It shows considerable health gaps, particularly between areas in Dublin.
Cancer death rates in Dublin during 2009 to 2011 varied from:
“Unfortunately, the more deprived the area, the higher the risk of a person getting and dying from cancer,” commented the Irish Cancer Society’s Head of Advocacy Kathleen O’Meara. “As well as this, often the poorest in society have the greatest difficulties in accessing healthcare.”
In some deprived Dublin areas, there are not enough primary care resources – for instance in North Dublin there is one GP for every 2,500 people. Nationally this figure is 1:1600. In addition there have been increased A&E charges, long stay charges and increased prescription charges. By 2013 it has meant that every person in Ireland was on average paying about €100 in additional costs for accessing care and prescribed drugs.
The Irish Cancer Society is beginning a campaign to ensure the link between health inequalities and cancer is recognised in the new ten-year National Cancer Strategy, which will be published in 2016, as well as actions recommended to address it.
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