Relationship between Industry and Occupation with Cancer Using the Illinois BRFSS Survey (2018 to 2022)

Occupational cancers (OCs) are one of the major reasons for the increase in global cancer burden, emphasizing the need for surveillance and prevention. We investigated the association between industry, occupation, and self-reported cancer prevalence among working civilians in Illinois, using Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from the years 2018 to 2022. The primary objectives were to analyze the association between occupational status and cancer outcomes and to compare estimates derived from industry/occupation (I/O) re-weighted data with those found using the CDC's standard demographic weighting approach. The method showed mapping civilians' industry (NAICS 2022) and occupation (SOC 2018) codes to International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifications to identify exposure to known (Group 1), probable (Group 2A), or possible (Group 2B) carcinogens. Multiple logistic regression models were conducted, considering complex survey design and adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors. A comprehensive case analysis was performed on a final sample of 10,503 individuals. In the results, the analysis showed no statistically significant increase in cancer prevalence among individuals classified as exposed to IARC Group 1, 2A, or 2B carcinogens. In fully adjusted models, particularly the CDC-weighted model, an inverse association was observed (OR = 0.795, 95% CI: 0.655–0.964, p = 0.020), suggesting exposure misclassification. This inverse association was not statistically significant in the I/O-weighted model. Significant demographic predictors of cancer prevalence included increasing age, female gender, and racial/ethnic disparities, with lower odds among Hispanic individuals being consistent with the "Hispanic paradox". Higher carcinogenic occupational exposure rates were consistently observed among males, Hispanics, individuals with lower educational attainment, current smokers, and those with no physical activity, emphasizing persistent disparities in exposure risks. This study underscored the importance of incorporating detailed occupational data into public health surveillance. It concluded that weighting methods had failed to reveal significant associations due to information bias, particularly when granular data of job tasks or exposure duration is lacking. Future research can focus on longitudinal designs, comprehensive exposure histories, and connections with cancer registries to address these limitations and enhance our understanding of occupational cancer risks.

Author dc:creator

• Ananya Saha (9707830)

• Occupational cancer
• BRFSS
• IARC classification
• survey weighting
• logistic regression
• exposure misclassification
• health disparities.

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

DOI dc:identifier

https://doi.org/10.25417/uic.31451062.v1

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:figshare.com:article/31451062