A Spatiotemporal Analysis of Stomach Cancer Mortality in the U.S. (2010–2019)

Stomach cancer remains an important public health concern in the United States. Through investigation of known risk factors, this study aims to map statistically significant geographical differences in mortality indicators for stomach cancer. County-level mortality data (2010–2019) were analyzed using SaTScan with a negative binomial regression to pinpoint purely spatial and space–time clusters of elevated mortality counts and rates. Significant spatial and space–time mortality clusters were identified, with age, physical inactivity, and unemployment among the strongest predictors. By procuring key evidence on the spatial and temporal dispersal of deaths due to stomach cancer in the United States, this study brings to light geographic disparities which warrant targeted public health interventions.