Cervical cancer incidence and mortality among American Indian and Alaska Native women, 1999-2009.

Objectives: We analyzed cervical cancer incidence and mortality data in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) women compared with women of other races.

Methods: We improved identification of AI/AN race, cervical cancer incidence, and mortality data using Indian Health Service (IHS) patient records; our analyses focused on residents of IHS Contract Health Service Delivery Area (CHSDA) counties. Age-adjusted incidence and death rates were calculated for AI/AN and White women from 1999 to 2009.

Regional patterns and trends in cancer mortality among American Indians and Alaska Natives, 1990-2001.

Background: National estimates of cancer mortality indicate relatively low rates for American Indians (AIs) and Alaska Natives (ANs). However, these rates are derived from state vital records in which racial misclassification is known to exist.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study of cancer mortality among AIs and ANs living in counties on or near reservations, the authors used death records and census population estimates to calculate annualized, age-adjusted mortality rates for key cancer types for the period 1996-2001 for 5 geographic regions: East (E), Northern Plains (NP), Southwest (SW), Pacific Coast (PC), and Alaska (AK).