Issues

The cover image is adapted from Fig. 1 in the article, “Cancer Mortality among Hispanic Groups in the United States, by Birthplace (2003–2017),” by He and colleagues. This study examined cancer mortality burden by sex, birthplace, and cancer sites in disaggregated Hispanic American groups from 2003 to 2017 and aimed to describe and compare patterns over time. The authors estimated, directly and indirectly, age adjusted 5-year mortality rates and modeled mortality trends, by joint Hispanic ethnicity and nativity, focusing on cancer sites that were potentially affected by predominant risk factors. A total of 228,197 Hispanic decedents [Mexican, Puerto Rican (PR), Cuban, and Central or South American] with cancer-related deaths from US death certificates (2003–2017) were analyzed. Figure 1 shows trends by selected cancer sites among males (2003–2017). Puerto Rico-born PRs, Cuba-born Cubans, and USborn Mexicans had some of the highest cancer death rates among all the Hispanic groups. In general, foreign-born Hispanics had higher cancer mortality rates than US-born, except Mexicans. Overall, US-born and non-US-born (i.e., native- or foreign- born) Hispanic groups experienced decreasing rates of cancer deaths over the years. The authors noted vast heterogeneity in mortality rates by nativity across Hispanic groups, a fast-growing diverse US population. Understanding disaggregated patterns and trends in cancer burden can motivate deeper discussion around community health resources, which may improve the health of Hispanics across the United States. For more information, see the article beginning on page 1598.