While many researchers have focused on the connection between smoking and lung cancer, research from Michigan State University has found that where people live also can make a difference.

Veronica Bernacchi, assistant professor at the MSU College of Nursing, explains the findings that were published in BMC Public Health. Additional contributions were made by experts from the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health in the MSU College of Human Medicine, Henry Ford Health and the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. This research was conducted using publicly available information from the 2022 County Health Rankings and Roadmaps website.

Lung cancer is a common cancer in the United States and the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. We already know that smoking, a person’s genetics, and exposure to chemicals and air pollution can contribute to a person’s chances of getting lung cancer. This research is important because it shows that where someone lives can affect their chances of developing and dying from lung cancer.