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Background Despite the wealth of frameworks on social determinants of health (SDOH), two current limitations include the relative superficial description of factors affecting health and a lack of focus on measuring health equity. The Health Equity Measurement Framework (HEMF) addresses these gaps by providing a more encompassing view of the multitude of SDOH and drivers of health service utilisation and by guiding quantitative analysis for public health surveillance and policy development. The objective of this paper is to present the HEMF, which was specifically designed to measure the direct and indirect effects of SDOH to support improved statistical modelling and measurement of health equity. Methods Based on a framework synthesis, the HEMF development involved initially integrating theoretical components from existing SDOH and health system utilisation frameworks. To further develop the framework, relevant publications on SDOH and health equity were identified through a literature review in major electronic databases. White and grey literatures were critically reviewed to identify strengths and gaps in the existing frameworks in order to inform the development of a unique health equity measurement framework. Finally, over a two-year period of consultation, scholars, health practitioners, and local policy influencers from municipal and provincial governments provided critical feedback on the framework regarding its components and causal relationships. Results This unified framework includes the socioeconomic, cultural, and political context, health policy context, social stratification, social location, material and social circumstances, environment, biological factors, health-related behaviours and beliefs, stress, quality of care, and healthcare utilisation. Alongside the HEMF’s self-exploratory diagram showing the causal pathways in-depth, a number of examples are provided to illustrate the framework’s usefulness in measuring and monitoring health equity as well as informing policy-making. Conclusions The HEMF highlights intervention areas to be influenced by strategic public policy for any organisation whose purview has an effect on health, including helping non-health sectors (such as education and labour) to better understand how their policies influence population health and perceive their role in health equity promotion. The HEMF recognises the complexity surrounding the SDOH and provides a clear, overarching direction for empirical work on health equity. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12939-019-0935-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

NMSC incidence in Alberta has stabilized in women and declined in men. As 95-99% of NMSC occurs in patients aged 40 years or older, and with its increased frequency in traditionally clothed areas, the authors recommend regular complete skin examinations starting at 40 years of age.

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Survival rates for childhood AML continue to improve. Limited data exist on the comprehensive assessment of late medical and social effects experienced by these aggressively treated individuals. This analysis includes 272 5-yr survivors of AML participating in the CCSS diagnosed ≤ age 21, between 1970–1986. AML survivors who received a blood or marrow transplant are excluded from the current analysis. Comparisons among treatment groups and to a sibling control group are age and gender adjusted. Survivors (55% female) were on average 7 yrs old at dx and 28 yrs at follow-up, 56% received chemotherapy only, 34% chemotherapy/RT. Average follow-up was 22.6 yrs (16.1–33.5). Among these 5-yr survivors, overall survival was 97% (95% CI, 94–98%) at 10 yrs and 94% (95% CI, 92–97%) at 20 yrs. Six individuals reported 8 recurrences a mean of 11.1 yrs (5.6–16.6) from diagnosis, 2 died from relapse, 1 from congestive heart failure (CHF), and 1 from a myocardial infarction (MI). All cause standardized mortality ratio was 4.7 (95% CI 2.8–7.5). Cumulative incidence of recurrent AML at 10 and 20 years was 1.8% (95% CI 0.2–3.4%) and 3.7% (95% CI 1.4–5.9%), respectively. Eight survivors reported 10 subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMN) (5 breast cancers, 3 CNS tumors, 1 ovarian tumor, 1 salivary gland tumor) a mean of 18.7 yrs (9.2–26.4) from diagnosis, 3 with a history of RT exposure. SMN cumulative incidence at 20 yrs was 1.6% (95% CI 0.02–3.3%) with a standardized incidence ratio of 3.2 (95% CI 1.4–6.0). Six cardiac events (5 CHF and 1 MI) occurred a mean of 16.4 yrs (12.8–18.4) from diagnosis, 20-yr cumulative incidence 2.4% (95% CI 0.5–4.4%). Among those aged 25 yrs or more, marriage rates were similar among AML survivors and the general U.S. population (59%), but lower compared to siblings (69%) (p<0.01). College graduation rates were lower among survivors compared to siblings, but higher than in the general population (42% vs. 52% vs. 34%, respectively, p<0.01). No significant difference in graduation rates was found among those treated with or without CNS directed RT (p=0.9). All survivors and siblings were employed (100%) and most had health insurance (93% vs. 90%). Long-term survival from childhood AML greater than 5 yrs from diagnosis is favorable. Late occurring medical events remain concerning. Marriage and education rates may be lower than expected within individual family units; yet not significantly different from the U.S. population.

BACKGROUND Limited data exist on the comprehensive assessment of late medical and social effects experienced by survivors of childhood and young adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML). METHODS This analysis included 272 5‐year AML survivors who participated in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS). All patients were diagnosed at age ≤21 years between the years 1970 and 1986, and none underwent stem cell transplantation. Rates of survival, relapse, and late outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS The average follow‐up was 20.5 years (range, 5–33 years). The overall survival rate was 97% at 10 years (95% confidence interval [95%CI], 94%–98%) and 94% at 20 years (95% CI, 90%–96%). Six survivors reported 8 recurrences. The cumulative incidence of recurrent AML was 6.6% at 10 years (95% CI, 3.7%–9.6%) and 8.6% at 20 years (95% CI, 5.1%–12.1%). Ten subsequent malignant neoplasms (SMN) were reported, including 4 with a history of radiation therapy, for a 20‐year cumulative incidence of 1.7% (95% CI, 0.02%–3.4%). Six cardiac events were reported, for a 20‐year cumulative incidence 4.7% (95% CI, 2.1%–7.3%). Half of the survivors reported a chronic medical condition and, compared with siblings, were at increased risk for severe or life‐threatening chronic medical conditions (16% vs 5.8%; P < .001). Among those aged ≥25 years, the age‐adjusted marriage rates were similar among survivors and the general United States population (57% for both) and lower compared with siblings (67%; P < .01). Survivors' college graduation rates were lower compared with siblings but higher than the general population (40% vs 52% vs 34%, respectively; P < .01). Employment rates were similar between survivors, siblings, and the general population (93%, 97.6%, and 95.8%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Long‐term survival from childhood AML ≥5‐years after diagnosis was favorable. Late‐occurring medical events remained a concern with socioeconomic achievement lower than expected within the individual family unit, although it was not different from the general United States population. Cancer 2008. © 2008 American Cancer Society.

BackgroundPublic health surveillance is often concerned with the analysis of health outcomes over small areas. Funnel plots have been proposed as a useful tool for assessing and visualizing surveillance data, but their full utility has not been appreciated (for example, in the incorporation and interpretation of risk factors).MethodsWe investigate a way to simultaneously focus funnel plot analyses on direct policy implications while visually incorporating model fit and the effects of risk factors. Health survey data representing modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors are used in an analysis of 2007 small area motor vehicle mortality rates in Alberta, Canada.ResultsSmall area variations in motor vehicle mortality in Alberta were well explained by the suite of modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors. Funnel plots of raw rates and of risk adjusted rates lead to different conclusions; the analysis process highlights opportunities for intervention as risk factors are incorporated into the model. Maps based on funnel plot methods identify areas worthy of further investigation.ConclusionsFunnel plots provide a useful tool to explore small area data and to routinely incorporate covariate relationships in surveillance analyses. The exploratory process has at each step a direct and useful policy-related result. Dealing thoughtfully with statistical overdispersion is a cornerstone to fully understanding funnel plots.

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