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The Legacy of Chattel Slavery and Its Association with Prostate Cancer Incidences in the Southeastern United States.

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Title: The Legacy of Chattel Slavery and Its Association with Prostate Cancer Incidences in the Southeastern United States.
Authors: Bharadwaj MC; Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington., Holt SK; Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.; Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington., Iyer HS; Section of Cancer Epidemiology and Health Outcomes, Rutgers Cancer Institute, New Brunswick, New Jersey., Lee JR; Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington., Wolff EM; Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington., Rebbeck TR; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, TH Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts., Gore JL; Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.; Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington., Nyame YA; Department of Urology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington.; Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
Source: Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology [Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev] 2025 Dec 01; Vol. 34 (12), pp. 2186-2193.
Publication Type: Journal Article; Historical Article
Language: English
Journal Info: Publisher: American Association for Cancer Research Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 9200608 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1538-7755 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10559965 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s): Original Publication: Philadelphia, PA : American Association for Cancer Research, c1991-
MeSH Terms: Enslavement*/history , Enslavement*/statistics & numerical data , Prostatic Neoplasms*/epidemiology, Black or African American/statistics & numerical data ; Southeastern United States/epidemiology ; White/statistics & numerical data ; Aged ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Health Status Disparities ; History, 19th Century ; Incidence ; Socioeconomic Factors
Abstract: Background: Present-day disparities in prostate cancer outcomes are a direct result of major historical events, such as chattel slavery. Few studies have evaluated the association between the legacy of historical racism and prostate cancer, a disease with a wide health disparity globally. In this study, we assess the relationship between county-level historical chattel slavery in 1860 and prostate cancer incidences in 2018 among Black and White individuals.
Methods: Prostate cancer incidences, socioeconomic variables, and 1860 slave data were all obtained from publicly available datasets. Our primary exposure was county-level density of enslaved people in 1860. Our primary dependent variable was prostate cancer incidence per 100,000. We used Poisson log-linear regression models to estimate the difference in county-level cancer counts per 10% increase in enslaved individuals in a county, adjusting for age and numerous social determinants of health.
Results: County-level density of enslaved people correlated with various present-day social determinants of health. In our multivariable adjusted model, increased county-level enslaved populations in 1860 were independently associated with a significant increase in 2018 county-level prostate cancer incidences for both White and Black individuals.
Conclusions: Our results indicate that the presence of county-level chattel slavery was significantly associated with poorer present-day social determinants of health and increased prostate cancer incidences, regardless of race.
Impact: Addressing health inequities requires the acknowledgment of the role historical chattel slavery plays in health disparities affecting marginalized and low socioeconomic communities in America.
(©2025 American Association for Cancer Research.)
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Grant Information: P50 CA097186 United States CA NCI NIH HHS; CDMRP W81XWH211053 U.S. Department of Defense (DOD); P50 CA097186-17 National Cancer Institute (NCI); FY23-POP-02 Andy Hill CARE Fund (CARE); Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention
Entry Date(s): Date Created: 20251003 Date Completed: 20251201 Latest Revision: 20251202
Update Code: 20260130
PubMed Central ID: PMC12577743
DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-25-1033
PMID: 41042379
Database: MEDLINE
Description
ISSN:1538-7755
DOI:10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-25-1033