Sociodemographic and Behavioral Factors Associated with Esophageal Cancer in Garissa County, Kenya

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with Sub-Saharan Africa bearing a disproportionate burden. In Kenya, EC is among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in both men and women and a leading cause of cancer mortality. While prevalent across the country, unpublished observations suggest a higher burden in Garissa County in northeastern Kenya. Epidemiological studies have linked EC in these regions to sociodemographic and behavioral risk factors, including smoking, tobacco use, and alcohol consumption, among other factors. This study investigated the association between esophageal cancer in Garissa County and sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics to determine risk factors associated with EC to inform public health interventions.

We conducted a retrospective study at Garissa County Referral Hospital by reviewing the medical records of 84 patients. Data collected included sociodemographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, and education level, as well as behavioral factors like tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Descriptive statistics were used to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and esophageal cancer. Fisher's exact test and the Kruskal-Wallis rank sum test were applied to assess categorical variables, while logistic regression was used to evaluate the strength of associations. All analyses were performed in R Studio.

Our findings showed significant associations between esophageal cancer and tobacco use (p = 0.022), hypertension (p = 0.025), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.028), and HIV status (p = 0.029). Additionally, family history of cancer was associated with esophageal cancer (p = 0.009). There was no significant association between sociodemographic factors such as age, marital status, or education level. However, the majority of the study participants lacked formal education.

Our findings provide strong evidence of the relationship between certain sociodemographic and behavioral factors and the risk of esophageal cancer in Garissa County in Kenya. This underscores the urgent need for targeted public health interventions and improved cancer awareness in the region to help reduce the disease burden in this region.