Racial cancer disparities in Iowa

Advancing age is the most important risk factor for cancer. The incidence rate of cancer in a racial/ethnic group with a younger population will be lower than in a group with an older population.

While the white population in Iowa has higher rates of cancer because it is older, Iowa’s Black population bears the greater burden of cancer when we account for their differing age distribution.

Iowa’s Black population has the highest cancer incidence rates of all racial/ethnic groups for those ages 50-79 years, whereas Iowa’s white population has the highest rate among those 80 and older. Cancer is striking the Black population at a much younger age compared to the white population.

Aside from suicide and liver disease, Iowa’s Black population has the highest mortality rate in every single major cause of death, including cancer. Consequently, the life expectancy of the Black population in Iowa is only 74.8 years compared to 79.3 years for the white population.

Some of the largest differences in mortality between Iowa’s Black and white populations include prostate, lung, and liver cancers. Iowa’s Black population also has higher colorectal and breast cancer mortality rates compared to other racial/ethnic groups.

Black males and females have higher cancer mortality rates compared to all other racial/ethnic groups. Black males have experienced the greatest decrease in cancer mortality over the past few decades.

Cancer mortality rates are declining for each racial/ethnic group, and the difference is narrowing between Iowa’s Black and white populations.

Source: Cancer in Iowa 2021, prepared by the University of Iowa College of Public Health.

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