Mortality mapping in Hong Kong, 1979-83 and 1984-88: feasibility study and the patterns of cancers.

To examine the practicability and value of mapping cancers in Hong Kong, selected data from consecutive censuses were used to assess the demographic stability and socioeconomic characteristics of the 27 districts. Mortality data in two quinquennia (1979-1988) were used to calculate the districts' standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) for various cancers and their ranks were presented in maps. Correlations were calculated between the SMRs for the cancers, and between the SMRs and the socioeconomic characteristics. Population sizes and socioeconomic characteristics of the districts were fairly stable in most districts. The SMRs of many cancers differed widely between districts. Affluent districts tended to have high SMRs for colorectal and breast cancers, but low SMRs for nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) as well as liver and lung cancers. The directions of the SMR ranking correlations between the two quinquennia were generally consistent. Statistically significant correlations between some cancers were replicated, particularly for males, and between some cancers and socioeconomic characteristics.