Educational outcomes in survivors of childhood cancer: an analysis of linked cancer registry and population-wide census data

Purpose To investigate educational attainment in adults with a history of childhood/youth cancer in New South Wales, Australia using linked data.Methods People diagnosed with cancer at ages 0–19 years (NSW Cancer Registry) during 1972–2016 were linked to the 2016 census to investigate differences in attainment of a tertiary educational qualification between cases and non-cases when aged >19 years. Multivariable logistic regression was used to indicate odds of attaining a tertiary education during adulthood by sociodemographic variables and tumor type.Results Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of tertiary qualification among cancer survivors were: 0.76 (p < .0001); for those born in an English-speaking country: OR = 0.85 for males (p = 0.0056) and 0.87 for females (p = 0.0143); for males born in other countries: OR = 0.43 (p < .0001) and females 0.64 (p = 0.0161); and elevated aORs applied for census ages 20–49 years, and residence in a major city (p < .0001). Lower aORs were evident for tertiary education for hematopoietic (p < .0001) and central nervous system cancer survivors (p < .0001).Conclusions This study using linked data enabled analysis of the whole population. In addition to confirming a negative association of childhood/youth cancers with attaining a tertiary education qualification, these data may inform targeting of interventions to optimize educational outcomes in adult survivors of childhood/youth cancer.