Fact Check: A 2022 study co-authored by Kimberly Terrell found higher cancer rates in Black or impoverished communities in Louisiana.

Fact Check: "A 2022 study co-authored by Kimberly Terrell found higher cancer rates in Black or impoverished communities in Louisiana."

What We Know

A 2022 study co-authored by Kimberly Terrell and Gianna St. Julien investigated the relationship between cancer incidence and environmental factors, particularly focusing on toxic air pollution in Louisiana. The study utilized data from the Louisiana Tumor Registry (2008-2017) and the U.S. Census Bureau, revealing that higher cancer risk from air toxics was significantly associated with higher cancer incidence in areas with higher proportions of Black or impoverished residents. The study concluded that toxic air pollution is a contributing factor to the cancer burden in these marginalized communities (source-1, source-5).

Additionally, a report from the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic corroborated these findings, stating that impoverished communities in Louisiana with elevated levels of toxic air pollution experience higher cancer rates. The report emphasized the need to consider both race and poverty when analyzing cancer risk, reinforcing the study's conclusions (source-2).

Analysis

The study led by Terrell is significant as it fills a research gap regarding environmental health in Louisiana, particularly in areas known as "Cancer Alley," which is characterized by high industrial activity and pollution. The methodology employed in the study, including linear regression and controlling for smoking and obesity rates, lends credibility to its findings. The correlation between higher cancer incidence and toxic air pollution in Black and impoverished communities is supported by statistical analysis, which showed a strong correlation (r = 0.69, P < 0.0001) between race, poverty, and cancer risk (source-1).

The Tulane Environmental Law Clinic's report further validates the study's conclusions by providing a comprehensive analysis that includes pollution and poverty data across a broader range of communities than the Louisiana Tumor Registry typically covers. The report's authors, including Terrell, have emphasized the importance of considering the interplay of environmental factors and socio-economic status in understanding health disparities (source-2).

While some critics may point to other factors like smoking and obesity as primary contributors to Louisiana's high cancer rates, the Tulane report found no evidence supporting these claims as significant factors in the observed link between toxic air pollution and cancer incidence (source-2).

Conclusion

The claim that a 2022 study co-authored by Kimberly Terrell found higher cancer rates in Black or impoverished communities in Louisiana is True. The evidence from the study and supporting reports clearly indicates a significant association between toxic air pollution and increased cancer rates in these communities, highlighting the role of environmental injustice in public health outcomes.

Fact Check: A 2022 study co-authored by Kimberly Terrell found higher cancer rates in Black or impoverished communities in Louisiana.