New report highlights health impact of deprivation
SCOTS living in the country’s most deprived areas are 28 per cent more likely to develop cancer than their counterparts in the least deprived postcodes, according to new analysis published today by Cancer Research UK.
Today’s figures reveal there are around 4,100 cancer cases associated with deprivation in Scotland each year – that’s around 1 in 8 of all cases.
Socioeconomic deprivation exists across Scotland, with substantial variation even within towns and cities. If all areas of Scotland experienced the same cancer rates as the most affluent areas, researchers estimated that around 80 cancer cases per week could be avoided. The charity is calling on the Scottish Government to urgently close the cancer inequality gap.*
The complex mix of factors driving the deprivation gap includes:
- Greater exposure to cancer risk factors, including smoking and obesity, meaning people in more deprived areas are more likely to develop cancer
- Lower uptake of HPV vaccination and lower participation in bowel and cervical screening programmes, reducing the opportunity to prevent cancer
- Clear evidence that people from deprived areas face barriers to accessing timely care, which contributes to inequalities across the cancer pathway.
The charity is urging the Scottish Government to do more to close the cancer deprivation gap through bold action on prevention, including policies to tackle smoking and obesity.
To deliver long-term improvements in cancer diagnosis and care in every postcode, targeted campaigns would help break down barriers to seeking help, and providing support for people to participate in cancer screening programmes would be crucial in reducing the inequalities revealed in today’s analysis.
Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said: “These figures are not only unacceptable but avoidable. Everyone in Scotland deserves to live in an environment that gives them the best chance of a long and healthy life, free from cancer, yet stark health inequalities persist.
“To help end the cancer postcode lottery, the Scottish Government must step up prevention efforts and ensure everyone can access high-quality cancer care wherever they live.”
Beyond the physical and mental toll of a cancer diagnosis, people also face financial pressures, including loss of income and increased travel costs for treatment. With higher cancer rates occurring in the most deprived areas, these costs are more likely to impact people already struggling financially.
Today’s report also revealed that the largest inequalities are in rates of smoking-related cancers, with lung cancer contributing around 2,500 cases linked to deprivation in the Scotland each year.
Despite progress in tackling the harms of tobacco, the latest Health Survey for Scotland shows smoking prevalence is much higher among adults living in the most deprived areas in Scotland (23 per cent) than among those living in the least deprived areas (seven per cent).
The charity is calling for the Tobacco and Vapes Act to be implemented swiftly in Scotland alongside increased funding to ensure everyone can access local, free stop smoking support as well as accelerating progress to implement a national targeted lung cancer screening programme.
Dr Sorcha Hume, Cancer Research UK public affairs manager in Scotland.
Cancer Research UK’s public affairs manager for Scotland, Dr Sorcha Hume, said: “It is unacceptable that cancer rates remain significantly higher in Scotland’s most deprived areas.
“While the causes are complex, early diagnosis is key to closing the survival gap. We must improve symptom awareness, remove barriers to seeking help, and support informed screening uptake in these communities. Long-term, funded national awareness campaigns targeted at those most affected are also essential.
“One of the report’s most stark findings is that lung cancer contributes more than 6 in 10 deprivation-associated cancer cases in Scotland. Smoking remains the leading cause, and lung cancer is often diagnosed too late for effective treatment.
“To address this, we must see the timely implementation of the Tobacco and Vapes Act, properly funded stop smoking services, and the introduction of a national lung cancer screening programme in Scotland.”
