BREAST CANCER RATES IN MARIN
Marin
County Breast Cancer Incidence Map FAQ's
Introduction by
Dr. Larry Meredith, Director, County of Marin Health & Human
Services:
Marin County
has one of the highest incidence rate of breast cancer of California
counties. Currently, too little is known with certainty about
the specific nature or distribution of personal risk factors,
environmental risk factors or biological and genetic risk factors
among women in Marin. The complexity of breast cancer etiology
and pathophysiology combined with potentially long latency periods
provide a perplexing challenge for researchers, health care providers,
health officials and the community at large.
Together
with community activists, researchers, elected officials and many
others we have orchestrated a broad range of efforts designed
to explain the high rates of breast cancer in the country. While
considerable research is underway, much, much more is needed if
we are to more completely understand this stealth like affliction
and implement scientifically-based prevention strategies, the
true gold standard that eludes us to date.
In 2003
we presented a long awaited baseline geographic mapping of breast
cancer incidence by census tract. Although this represents a single
step in a long journey, as is too often the case, expectations
may have overtaken reality.
The map
presents the geographic distribution of invasive breast cancer
diagnosis by census tract during the five years from 1988 to 1992.
The information is based on where a woman lived when she
was diagnosed with breast cancer, with no information on length
of residence. With this limited information, it is not possible
to draw conclusions about geographic location and breast cancer
risk. The map is just one aspect of several, ongoing efforts to
understand breast cancer in the County. It's just one small piece
of a much larger and complex puzzle.
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Marin County Breast Cancer Incidence Map. Click on the Acrobat
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Click
to view and print Marin County Breast Cancer Incidence Map
Click to view and print Marin County Breast Cancer Incidence Map FAQ's
How Can I Find the Census Tract I Lived in for the 1990 Census?
To find your census tract from the 1990 Census, go to http://www.census.gov
- Under data sets, third bullet down,
click on "1990 Summary Tape File 1"
- Highlight radio button 1990 Summary
Tape File
- On right side of section, click on
Reference Maps
- Scroll down to enter address
- Census tract is bordered and labeled
in a burnt orange color
Census tracts are small,
relatively permanent statistical subdivisions of a country. Census
tracts usually have between 2,500 to 8,000 persons, and are designed
to be homogenous with respect to population characteristics economic
status, and living conditions. The spatial size of a census tract
varies varies widely depending on the density of settlement, and
are delineated with the intention of being maintained over a long
time, so that statistical comparisons can be made from census
to census.
