THE INFLUENCE OF THE STANDARD OF LIVING ON BREAST CANCER MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN EUROPE IN THE PERIOD BETWEEN 2017 AND 2019

Abstract

This paper explores the hypothesis that there is a connection between the standard of living (expressed by the Human Development Index) and the standardised rates of breast cancer incidence and mortality in the female population of Europe. The examination whether the standard of living has an impact on breast cancer incidence and mortality is based on the use of bivariate correlation, as the simplest form of quantitative analysis of two variables which seeks to determine the empirical relationship between them. The second part of the analysis involves the determination of linear relationships using simple linear regression analysis models testing the average impact of the Human Development Index on the standardised breast cancer incidence and mortality rates. The analysis takes into account the importance of yet another socioeconomic factor – response to screening, which can have a major impact on breast cancer mortality.