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The Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study: Cancer Risk Factors

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Abstract

The Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study assessed cancer risk among 3,821 Alaska Native people (AN). We present the prevalence of selected cancer risk factors and comparison with Healthy People 2010 goals. Participants completed extensive computer-assisted self-administered questionnaires on diet, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol use, cancer screening, family history of cancer, and environmental exposures. Measurement data were collected on blood pressure, height, weight, waist/hip circumference, fasting serum lipids, and glucose. Cancer risk factors are high for the Alaska EARTH study population. For all risk factors studied except for vegetable consumption, Alaska EARTH Study participants did not meet Healthy People 2010 goals. This study is unique in providing questionnaire and measurement data of cancer risk factors on a larger study sample than any previous study among AN living in Alaska. Data show that the prevalence of most cancer risk factors exceeded national recommendations. Given the disease disparities that exist for the AN population, these data provide important baseline data that can be used to target health interventions and reduce health disparities.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by grants CA88958 and CA96095 from the National Cancer Institute and Y1PC403309 from the National Institute of Health, National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Program. The contents of this manuscript are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the National Cancer Institute. We would like to acknowledge the contributions and support of the Indian Health Service, the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium Board of Directors, Southcentral Foundation, Southeast Alaska Regional Health Consortium, and the Yukon–Kuskokwim Health Corporation.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, 4000 Ambassador Drive, Anchorage, AK, 99508, USA

    Anne P. Lanier, Diana G. Redwood & Janet J. Kelly

Authors
  1. Anne P. Lanier
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  2. Diana G. Redwood
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  3. Janet J. Kelly
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Correspondence to Diana G. Redwood.

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Lanier, A.P., Redwood, D.G. & Kelly, J.J. The Alaska Education and Research Towards Health (EARTH) Study: Cancer Risk Factors. J Canc Educ 27 (Suppl 1), 80–85 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-012-0333-4

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