SOCIOECONOMIC-FACTORS AND HUMAN CANCER

In spite of the many attempts made at various periods of human history to arrive at an equalitarian society by reducing differences between the rich and the poor and by redistributing wealth, social inequalitie s have not disappeared and even seem to be increasing worldwide. Inequ alities in health represent some of the social inequalities present in our society and are one of their most convincing indices. In industri alized countries, it has been consistently shown that total incidence of and mortality from cancer are higher in less favored socioeconomic groups, mainly due to increased rates at certain sites. The difference s observed between socioeconomic groups within industrialized countrie s are similar, although not identical, to those prevailing between ind ustrialized and developing countries. Occupational risks are becoming a very serious problem in developing countries, largely as a consequen ce of the transfer of hazardous industries from highly industrialized countries where certain industries are judged to be unacceptable. A si milar double standard is applied toward tobacco advertising and sales in the industrialized and developing countries. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, I nc.