The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer mortality and socioeconomic disparities in Belgium during 2020

Yasmine Khan , Ghent University
Laura Van den Borre, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
Katrien Vanthomme, Universiteit Gent
Brecht Devleesschauwer, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Sciensano, Brussels, Belgium
Nick Verhaeghe, Ghent University
Delphine De Smedt, Ghent University
Sylvie Gadeyne, Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Background: Amid the escalating economic impact of cancer in Europe and unnoticed socioeconomic discrepancies in outcomes, the early pandemic phase had a marked effect on healthcare, especially cancer care. This study delves into the pandemic's influence on cancer mortality rates and its effects on pre-existing health disparities. Methods: We used data from the Belgian National Register and the 2011 Census. We first looked at all cancers (ICD10 codes: C00-C96) and then had a deeper look at 5 specific cancers (breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, prostate). Age-standardised cancer mortality rates from the initial COVID-19 wave (01/03/2020-31/12/2020) were compared to the same period in 2019 to identify mortality disparities by socioeconomic and demographic indicators. Using Poisson regression, we assessed relative mortality inequalities across these groups. Analyses were stratified by age and gender. Results: In 2020, cancer mortality rates presented variation across age, gender, and socioeconomic status. Notably, men over 75 witnessed decreased cancer mortality. Middle-income women aged 45-59 observed the sharpest decline. Colorectal cancer mortality reduced significantly in 2020. Ages 45-59 and 60-74 with lower socioeconomic status experienced heightened mortality risks, with disparities intensifying in the 45-59 group post-pandemic. However, men and women aged 75+ in the lowest income group displayed diminished mortality risks. Collective household residency elevated cancer mortality risks, though varying by cancer type. Conclusion: The pandemic's onset brought forth unique social trends in cancer mortality. The study found that relative mortality inequalities during this tumultuous period remained consistent with pre-pandemic figures, highlighting the enduring nature of health disparities during global challenges.

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 Presented in Session 18. The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health, Wellbeing and Morbidity