Understanding the Population We Serve

The UF Health Cancer Center catchment area comprises 23 contiguous counties in North Florida, with 2.3 million people. Residents from the catchment area account for 77.1% of the patients seen at the UF Health Cancer Center, according to data from 2012-2018. The 23 counties are spread over a land area of 17,494 square miles, greater than the area of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut combined.

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Every county is a medically underserved area and/or population, and roughly half have persistent poverty. Therefore, the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement further characterized the catchment area by census tract socioeconomic vulnerability to inform the program’s priorities. The catchment area has a higher overall cancer incidence and mortality rates than the state or the country.

The greatest mortality burden is observed for tobacco-related cancers, colorectal cancers and HPV-related cancers in those residing in census tracts with high socioeconomic vulnerability and persistent poverty. The catchment area has high rates of individuals who are uninsured, current smokers and adults older than 65 years, along with low educational attainment and cancer screening rates relative to Florida and the United States.


UF Health Cancer Center

Catchment Area Profile

Read or download our Catchment Area Profile

catchment area profile

66.7% Florida counties with persistent poverty are in our catchment area

11 of the 23 counties have higher cancer incidence rates than the state rate

16 counties have higher advanced stage incidence rates than the state rate

23% are over 65 years old

989,000 reside in areas of socioeconomic vulnerability (i.e., high rates of poverty, unemployment, lower income/educational attainment)

13 catchment area counties with an adult smoking rate of 20% or higher

16 counties have higher advanced stage incidence rates than the state rate

60% of the most prevalent types of new cancer cases are tobacco related


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