Deprivation

Deprivation is a measure used to rank different areas and backgrounds based on factors including income, employment, education, health, crime, housing and environment. This is also known as socio-economic background.

Deprivation & blood cancer

The data from our UK Blood Cancer Action Plan highlighted that people from a lower socio-economic background have a poorer chance of surviving blood cancer. This was true across all UK nations.

A report in Scotland found that a higher proportion of the least deprived communities (26.3%) received CAR-T treatment than those from the most deprived (13.2%).

In Cardiff and the Vale, people living in the most disadvantaged areas were diagnosed with CLL at an average age 10 years older, and with more advanced disease, than those in the most advantaged areas.

• We’ll research why blood cancer outcomes vary with deprivation.
• We’ll develop targeted interventions based on our findings.
• We’ll amplify our voice with decision-makers across the UK, especially those representing disadvantaged communities.
• We’ll build internal data expertise to better analyse available information.
• We’ll review the socioeconomic diversity of our workforce and Involvement Network.

If you’ve faced barriers to diagnosis, treatment or support, or if your care has been exceptional, we’d love to hear from you. Join our Involvement Network to use your lived experience to support our projects and relevant work. Your insights will help make sure our strategy delivers real change for everyone affected by blood cancer.