Union County Public Health Profile Report
Deaths due to Lung Cancer: Deaths per 100,000 Population, 2020
Union 22.195% Confidence Interval (18.2 - 26.0)Description of the Confidence IntervalThe confidence interval indicates the range of probable true values for the level of risk in the community.
A value of "NA" (Not Available) will appear if the confidence interval was not published with the NJSHAD indicator data for this measure.State 26.5U.S. 31.9Union Compared to State
Description of GaugeDescription of the Gauge
This graphic is based on the county data to the left. It compares the county value of this indicator to the state overall value.- Excellent = The county's value on this indicator is BETTER than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.
- Watch = The county's value is BETTER than state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
- Improvement Needed = The county's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, but the difference IS NOT statistically significant.
- Reason for Concern = The county's value on this indicator is WORSE than the state value, and the difference IS statistically significant.
The county value is considered statistically significantly different from the state value if the state value is outside the range of the county's 95% confidence interval. If the county's data or 95% confidence interval information is not available, a blank gauge image will be displayed with the message, "missing information."NOTE: The labels used on the gauge graphic are meant to describe the county's status in plain language. The placement of the gauge needle is based solely on the statistical difference between the county and state values. When selecting priority health issues to work on, a county should take into account additional factors such as how much improvement could be made, the U.S. value, the statistical stability of the county number, the severity of the health condition, and whether the difference is clinically significant.
Why Is This Important?
Lung cancer is the leading cause of deaths due to cancer in New Jersey and in the nation as a whole. This is true for both males and females and for each racial/ethnic group. In the United States, 80-90% of lung cancer deaths are due to smoking[https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/risk_factors.htm ^1^] which is an avoidable risk factor.Risk and Resiliency Factors
According to the NCI[https://www.cancer.gov/types/lung/hp/lung-prevention-pdq ^3^], exposure to radiation or occupational exposure to asbestos, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, or nickel increases the risk of lung cancer mortality in addition to incidence in a dose-dependent manner. Exposure to outdoor air pollution, specifically small particles, also increases the risk of lung cancer mortality in addition to incidence.How Are We Doing?
The age-adjusted death rate due to lung cancer halved between 2000 and 2020 and the original and revised Healthy New Jersey 2020 targets have been met by all racial/ethnic groups. The rates among Whites and Blacks are more than double those of Hispanics and Asians and the rate among males is well above that of females but the gap is narrowing. Rates by county range from a low of 19 in Hudson to a high of 42 in Cumberland.Evidence-based Practices
The most important thing you can do to lower your lung cancer risk is to quit smoking and avoid secondhand smoke. The second leading cause of lung cancer is radon, a naturally occurring gas that comes from rocks and dirt and can get trapped in houses and buildings. Get your home tested for radon.[https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/lung/basic_info/prevention.htm ^2^]Healthy People Objective C-2:
Reduce the lung cancer death rateU.S. Target: 45.5 deaths per 100,000 population (age-adjusted)
State Target: 31.5 deaths per 100,000 population (age-adjusted)
Related Indicators
Risk Factors:
- Cigarette Use among Middle School Students
- Incidence of Lung & Bronchus Cancer
- Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) in Outdoor Air
- Diesel Particulate Matter in Outdoor Air
- Cigarette Use among High School Students
- Cigarette Smoking Among Adults
- Radon Screening
- Radon Mitigation
Health Status Outcomes:
Data Sources
Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Statistics and Registry, New Jersey Department of Health Population Estimates, [https://www.nj.gov/labor/lpa/dmograph/est/est_index.html State Data Center], New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce DevelopmentMeasure Description for Deaths due to Lung Cancer
Definition: Deaths with malignant neoplasm (cancer) of the trachea, bronchus, and lung as the underlying cause of death
ICD-10 codes: C33-C34
Numerator: Number of deaths due to cancer of the trachea, bronchus, and lung
Denominator: Total number of persons in the population
