INTRODUCTION : Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Tamil Nadu followed by cervical cancer. Spatio-ecological patterns of breast cancer incidence provide us the frame work to understand the association of various socio-economic factors in Tamil Nadu.
AIM : To find the spatial autocorrelation of breast cancer incidence in Tamil Nadu.
To find the association between breast cancer incidence and Human developmental Index in Tamil Nadu.
METHODS : Univariate Moran’s I and LISA Maps were used to find spatial autocorrelation of Breast cancer Incidence in Tamil Nadu based on the data from Tamil Nadu Cancer Registry Project. Ordinary least square method was used to find the association between Breast cancer incidence and Human Development Index, Number of government oncological institutions, private oncological institutions.
RESULTS : The univariate Moran’s I for Breast cancer incidence is 0.037(p<0.05). The Breast cancer incidence occurs in specific cluster. The incidence for breast cancer positively correlated with Human Developmental Index (Coeff = 29.99, P=0.021), Number of Government oncological Institution (Coeff= -1.22, P=0.00217). The Adjusted R square is 51.1% for this Model. This model explains about the 51% variability in dependent variable (crude incidence of Breast cancer) by independent variables.
CONCLUSION : The Human Development Index is the better predictor for Breast cancer incidence in Tamil Nadu. In high HDI districts Government should focus on life style modifications like strategies to reduce obesity. In low HDI districts Government should focus on increasing new Government institutions to find a greater number of new cases. Government should focus on making policies to ensure the above factors.