Socioeconomic inequalities in cancer mortality are widely recognized, but what drives them? Joachim Gotink, Freija Verdoodt and Sylvie Gadeyne answer this question in ther recent article "Decomposing educational inequalities in cancer mortality: The roles of incidence and survival in Belgium, 2004–2013" published in Social Science & Medicine.
Socioeconomic differences in cancer mortality are well known, yet the reasons behind them remain unclear. In a nationwide study linking Belgian census, cancer incidence, and mortality data, the authors explored whether these inequalities are driven by differences in cancer occurrence or by survival after diagnosis.
For most cancers, lower-educated individuals face higher incidence and mortality, though patterns vary by cancer type, age, and sex. Some cancers, such as melanoma and breast cancer, deviate from this trend, showing higher incidence among the higher educated.
Lung cancer stood out as uniformly incidence-driven, while for other cancers, breaking down mortality into incidence and survival reveals more complex patterns. Yet, understanding these patterns can help design more precise interventions, ensuring that everyone has access to timely diagnosis and high-quality treatment.
Full text of the article is available here.
Citation: Gotink, J., Verdoodt, F., & Gadeyne, S. (2026). Decomposing Educational Inequalities in Cancer Mortality: The Roles of Incidence and Survival in Belgium, 2004–2013. Social Science & Medicine, 119152. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2026.119152
