Can we empirically derive a geographic definition of 'coastal' for use in cancer data reporting? An ecological modelling study using England's national cancer registry.

Background: Reducing avoidable systematic differences in population health requires first understanding which populations are currently disadvantaged. Although the health of coastal communities in England has been of concern for some years, an operationalised definition of 'coastal' is lacking. This study aims to use national cancer statistics to define and validate a small area-level definition of 'coastal' that could be used to better report cancer-related health inequalities in England.