Social Environment and Cancer in Europe: Towards an Evidence-Based Public Health Policy

The final book consists of 21 chapters organized in 4 parts (below has not been updated and reflects original proposal)

Part A - General Considerations

I Social inequalities in cancer. What are we talking about ? - Basic concepts

This chapter defines the objective of the research and proposes a definition for each word by being inspired, for example, by the writings of Louise Potvin, placing the reflection in its general philosophical, ethical, and social framework. The chapter defines in this context the scientific approach of epidemiological researchers and public health managers and shows its specific contribution in a multi-disciplinary framework. Finally, the chapter draws up a quick historical perspective in order to place this book in the history of research on the subject.

II Assessment of social environment - The European deprivation Index (EDI). A tool for an evidence-based policy at a European level

This chapter describes the objectives, the means and the limits of the individual and aggregated assessments of the social environment. The chapter defines the purpose and the principles of construction of the EDI, as well as its mode of use and its perspectives of development

III Cancer registration in Europe - A tool for an evidence-based policy at a national and European level

This chapter describes the current state of cancer registries in Europe and their coordination at the European level. It is also about promoting their activity and their sustainability by showing how it represents a unique database with considerable potential in the knowledge of cancers, their potential link with the social environment. The chapter also shows how they can constitute a unique tool for the evaluation of public health policies at the national or European level.

Part B - Reports on Incidence

IV Methodological considerations for studying social disparities in cancer incidence

The chapter presents the specificities of the geographical approaches in the study of the incidence, its statistical implications, the principal models of statistical analysis, their interest, their mode of use, and their limits.

V - Social disparities in Cancer Incidence for adults throughout Europe.

This chapter aims to take stock of national or international studies that have investigated the link between the social environment and the incidence of cancer by limiting themselves to Europe and studies based on cancer registry data. It may be necessary to consider two parts, one dealing with the social status (individual level) and the other with the social environment (neighbouring studies)

VI- Social disparities in Cancer Incidence for children throughout Europe

This chapter aims to take stock of national or international studies that have investigated the link between the social environment and the incidence of cancer by limiting themselves to Europe and studies based on cancer registry data

Part C - Reports on Survival

VII Methodological considerations for studying social determination of survival

This chapter presents the purpose, the interest and the principles of the development of the net survival as well as the statistical developments necessary to take into account the hierarchy of the data (multilevel analysis).

VIII Social disparities in cancer survival in adults in Europe. Data from CONCORD study

This chapter aims to extract from the Concord study all results from European registers and to show how the inter-country differences observed can be explained by social elements due to the level of socio-economic development of countries or their social organization and care

IX Social disparities in survival for b