A Comparison of Three Area-Level Indices of Neighborhood Deprivation and Socioeconomic Status and their Applicability to Breast Cancer Mortality

Neighborhood deprivation indices are widely used in research, but the performance of these indices has rarely been directly compared in the same analysis. We examined the Area Deprivation Index, Neighborhood Deprivation Index, and Yost index, and compared their associations with breast cancer mortality. Indices were constructed for Georgia census block groups using 2011–2015 American Community Survey data. Pearson correlation coefficients and percent agreement were calculated. Associations between each index and breast cancer mortality were estimated among 36,795 women diagnosed with breast cancer using Cox proportional hazards regression. The indices were strongly correlated (absolute value of correlation coefficients > 0.77), exhibited moderate (41.4%) agreement, and were similarly associated with a 36% increase in breast cancer mortality. The similar associations with breast cancer mortality suggest the indices measure the same underlying construct, despite only moderate agreement. By understanding their correlations, agreement, and associations with health outcomes, researchers can choose the most appropriate index for analysis.