ADDRESSING MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS AND HEART DISEASES IN GEORGIA RURAL AND URBAN COUNTIES THROUGH POLICY INTERVENTIONS

Abstract

ABSTRACT WAYNE A. HAIRSTON II, MPH, MBA

ADDRESSING MALIGNANT NEOPLASMS AND HEART DISEASES IN GEORGIA RURAL AND URBAN COUNTIES THROUGH POLICY INTERVENTIONS

Under the Direction of DAWOOD H. SULTAN, PhD, MA

Malignant neoplasms and heart diseases are the leading causes of premature death in all counties in the state of Georgia, USA. Data show that in Georgia, heart diseases and cancer have age-adjusted death rates of 195.2 and 151.5, respectively. In 2022, heart diseases caused 21,931 and cancer caused 18,136 deaths in Georgia. Chronic diseases cost Georgia over $40 billion dollars per year. According to the Georgia Department of Health, Georgia is ranked 39th in the nation for health outcomes. This study asks two questions: how do chronic diseases affect Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) in rural and urban counties in Georgia, and how can policies and interventions be designed to address these variables and promote health equity? Variable measures for this study were obtained from the County Health Rankings and Roadmaps website. Regression was used to determine the effects of the independent variables on YPLL, and t-tests were used to obtain nonparametric coefficients. County status was used as a control and grouping variable. Correlation analysis was used to detect potential collinearity. T-tests were conducted to determine if variable means differ among rural and urban counties. Malignant neoplasms, heart diseases, rural and urban status, percent Black people, percent obese, percent physical inactivity, percent smoking, percent unemployed, and percent injury-related deaths were strong predictors of YPLL in Georgia. However, Heart disease has the strongest effect on YPLL. Reducing the prevalence of cancer and heart diseases will prevent premature death in Georgia, particularly in rural counties.