Cancer Death Rate Declines Slower in Rural U.S. Than in Urban Areas

Why it matters locally: South Dakota, where roughly 40% of the population lives in rural areas, may be particularly affected by slower cancer mortality improvements in non-urban regions, according to CDC data.

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A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report documented variations in cancer death rates between rural and urban areas of the United States. The analysis showed that cancer death rates decreased at a slower pace in rural regions. Specifically, the report cited a 1.0 percent annual decrease in cancer deaths in rural areas versus a 1.6 percent annual decrease in urban areas. Researchers compared data for both regions to find these differences in mortality rates.