Prevalence and Mortality of Melanoma in Oklahoma Among Racial Groups, 2000-2008.

Introduction: This study assessed the period prevalence (2000-2008) and mortality rates of melanoma, in Oklahoma, among different racial/ethnic strata.

Methods: We analyzed incident cases of melanoma from 2000-2008 from the Oklahoma Central Cancer Registry and determined disease duration using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis to calculate period prevalence of melanoma in Oklahoma. Using a series of Chi-Square tests, we compared period prevalence and mortality rates among the racial groups and compared mortality between Oklahoma and the US.

Results: White non-Hispanics in Oklahoma have the highest period prevalence (p<0.0001) among the racial strata. American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) individuals have the second highest period prevalence in Oklahoma (p<0.0001). Furthermore, white non-Hispanics (p<0.0001) and AI/AN individuals (p=0.0003) in Oklahoma had higher mortality rates compared to the US.

Conclusions: There are disparities in the prevalence and mortality of melanoma among the AI/AN population in Oklahoma, and prevention and education programs should focus on this population.