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Table 1 Descriptive characteristics of breast cancer and lung cancer cases and referents diagnosed in years 2000–2007 (N = 61,129)

From: A case-referent study: light at night and breast cancer risk in Georgia

Individual-level variables

Cases (N = 42,754)

Referents (N = 18,375)

 

N

%

N

%

LAN mean value (watts per cm 2 per sterradian)*

  

  High (> 41)

27,121

71

10,970

60

  Medium (21–41)

5,974

14

2,623

14

  Low (0–20)

9,659

23

4,782

26

Race*

 

  White

31,638

75

14,885

82

  Black

10,461

25

3,364

18

Geocoding Match Status*

 

  Matched

34,053

80

14,458

79

  Unmatched

8,701

20

3,917

21

Tumor Grade*

 

  Grade 1

7,496

18

785

4

  Grade 2

15,117

35

2,411

13

  Grade 3

14,741

34

5,207

29

  Other

5,348

13

9,915

54

Tumor Stage*

 

  Distant

1,992

5

8,230

45

  Local

25,732

60

3,665

20

  Regional

13,690

32

4,697

25

  Unstaged

1,340

3

1,783

10

 

Mean (SD)

Mean (SD)

Mean age at diagnosis

60 (14)

68 (12)

Mean LAN value (watts per cm 2 per sterradian)

35 (292)

18 (491)

County-level variables

Cases (N = 34,053) †

Referents (N = 14,458) †

Average family size*

  

  ≥ 3.17

25,206

74

10,103

70

  < 3.17

8,847

26

4,328

30

Median household Income* (quartiles)

 

  < $27,869

982

3

486

3

  ≥ $27,869 - $31,950

3,227

10

1,546

11

  > $31,950 - $38,799

8,296

24

4,098

28

  > $38,799

21,548

63

8,328

58

MSA Status* (2003)

 

  MSA

28,523

84

11,757

81

  Non-MSA

5,530

16

2,701

19

Annual PM 2.5 level* (quartiles)

 

  < 11.4

2,076

6

1,016

7

  ≥ 11.4-13.1

3,202

9

1,514

10

  >13.1-15.2

7,016

21

3,282

23

  >15.2

21,759

64

8,646

60

Per 1,000 women aged 15–50, number of births in last year* (quartiles)

 

  < 40

2,621

8

1,211

8

  ≥ 40 - 54

7,217

21

3,299

23

  > 54 – 66

18,384

54

7,066

49

  > 66

5,831

17

2,882

20

Total population living in MSA/PMSA, percentage living in different residence in 1995*

 

  No change in residence since 1995

8,693

26

4,372

30

  Change in residence since 1995

25,360

74

10,086

70

Percent female smokers, public health district level* (quartiles)

 

  < 19.5%

13,113

39

4,783

33

  ≥ 19.5% - 21.4%

9,907

29

4,165

29

  > 21.4% - 22.3%

2,814

8

1,271

9

  > 22.3%

8,219

24

4,239

29

 

Mean (SD)

Mean (SD)

Percentage of population below the poverty line

14.43 (5.64)

14.79 (5.57)

Percentage of African-American females

29.60 (17.92)

28.29 (17.92)

Percent high school graduate or higher

84.00 (6.11)

83.05 (6.38)

Percentage of population over 16 in labor force

66.58 (5.64)

65.79 (5.72)

Percentage of population in different residence in 1995

48.07 (5.29)

47.35 (5.46)

  1. Abbreviations: LAN, Light at night in watts per cm2 per sterradian; SD, Standard Deviation; MSA, Metropolitan Statistical Area; PM, Particulate Matter2.5.
  2. Case: (breast cancer); Referent (lung cancer).
  3. Match Status: Only cancer cases registering address level accuracy (AI0-AX3) were included for analysis.
  4. Annual PM 2.5 level; annual average ambient concentrations of PM 2.5 in micrograms per cubic meter, based on seasonal averages and daily measurement, 2001.
  5. * Statistically significant chi-square result (p < 0.05).
  6. † Number of cases and referents differ from individual-level analysis figures; some responses regarding county location were missing and dropped from analysis.
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International Journal of Health Geographics

ISSN: 1476-072X