Published on Feb. 29, 2016
Background: In 2011, the female breast cancer incidence rate was about 120 per 100,000 population and the mortality rate was 24 per 100,000 population in Missouri. There is a critical need to build fact sheets in the form of interactive and dynamic map reports of accurate breast cancer burden among Missouri resident women at the sub-state and state level. Cancer incidence and mortality rates were traditionally displayed in data tables. Data tables meet the needs of some users.
Aim: Use data visualization software to produce easily understood interactive reports with maps that display breast cancer incidence, survival and mortality by Missouri counties and State Senatorial districts.
Methods: We linked our female breast cancer data to central indices to obtain complete survival information through 2011. Cases in counties split by senate districts were geocoded to determine their district for incidence and survival data. Mortality data from NCHS was only available at the county level. Population data at the district, age, race, and year level was created by combining two major population datasets. We created a database in a statistical software package for
analyzing cancer data. Variables were created and imported to aid analyzing MCR’s female breast cancer in the statistical software. We calculated FBC incidence, mortality, and survival rates by senatorial district. We used the Census Bureau’s Cartographic Boundary Files to create maps showing MO counties and State senatorial districts. We uploaded our results along with the Cartographic Boundary Files to the InstantAtlas software to produce interactive mapping reports that
display our study’s results. We attached our interactive mapping reports to the MCR-ARC website
Results and Conclusion: Results presented in interactive mapping reports are informative for decision makers and public health practitioners and easily accessible and understood by women with breast cancer, family members/friends and the general public. Interactive mapping reports have great potential to: Serve as a knowledge base for healthcare providers, educate patients and the general public, and explore relationship between behavioral, environmental and/or socioeconomic risk factors and female breast cancer.