Data sources accessed for the study
| Population | Database | Description | Years of data used | Variables used in analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC ICC cases | BC Cancer Registry | A population-based registry of all cases of cancer diagnosed in BC residents since 1970. Data includes personal, geographic and tumour diagnosis information. Sociodemographic information is available only for cases seen in consultation at a BC Cancer clinic. | 2004–2013 | Age, geography |
| BC HAFs | Health assessment forms are completed upon first admission to a BC Cancer centre. HAFs capture sociodemographic characteristics via a standardized questionnaire. | HAF: 2004–2010 PRISM: 2011–2013 | Self-reported ethnicity or race, language, smoking status, marital status | |
| General population of women in BC | Canadian Census PUMF (individuals file) | The Canadian Census of Population is a primary source of sociodemographic data in Canada and vital for government, community and planning services. (21) The 2006 Census national response rate was 96.5%. (22) The public use microdata file contains 844 476 records, representing 2.7% of the Canadian population. The file does not include people living in institutions. (23) | 2006 | Self-reported age, ethnicity or race, language |
| National Household Survey PUMF (individuals file) | In 2011, the mandatory long-form census was replaced with a voluntary survey called the National Household Survey (NHS). The NHS collected similar information as gathered from the Census. The national response rate in 2011 was 77.2%. (24) Statistics Canada implemented various methods to account for error and biases related to the voluntary nature of the survey. (25) The 2011 NHS PUMF on individuals represents a 2.7% sample of the Canadian population. It contains social, demographic and economic data. (26) | 2011 | Self-reported age, ethnicity or race, language | |
| CCHS PUMF | The CCHS is a national cross-sectional survey that collects health information and is conducted every 2 years by Statistics Canada. The survey uses multistage cluster sampling and collects data on “health and social characteristics of the population.” The CCHS PUMF provides data on a 2-year period. The response rate was 68.4%. Data are based on in-person and telephone interviews administered to participants, with about 130 000 respondents aged 12 years or older, residing in households in all provinces and territories. Data are not collected on members of the Canadian Armed Forces and those residing on First Nations reserves, in institutions and in some remote regions. Exclusions represent less than 3% of the Canadian population. (27) | 2011/12 cycle | Self-reported smoking status, marital status | |
| BC Stats (28) | Population statistics by BC geographical classifications. BC Stats provides population estimates by various levels of geography. Population estimates are based on the Census of Population with adjustments that consider net under-enumeration in the Census. (29) | 2006, 2011 | Geography |
Note: BCCR = BC Cancer Registry, CCHS = Canadian Community Health Survey, HAF = health assessment form, ICC = invasive cervical cancer, PRISM = Patient-Reported Information and Symptom Measurement, PUMF = public use microdata file.