Exploring the Link between Oil Exploitation and Cancer in the Indigenous Population of Ecuador: A Scoping Review

Tibo Uyttersprot, François Janssens, Danielle Fernandes and Wei-Hong Zhang
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Tibo Uyttersprot: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
François Janssens: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Danielle Fernandes: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
Wei-Hong Zhang: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: With cancer accounting for 19% of deaths and projected to rise in the coming years, Ecuador’s inequities in healthcare coverage remain a major concern for the rural, indigenous populations. While the cancer burden among this vulnerable population has been much publicized in the context of the controversial oil extraction in the Amazon, there is contradictory evidence on its occurrence and determinants. This review critically discusses the available literature on cancer among indigenous people in Ecuador and explores the link between oil exploitation and cancer occurrence among indigenous people using a scoping review approach. The results of this review show there is a clear but inconsistent association between oil exposure and cancer risk in indigenous populations of Ecuador. While the environmental magnitude of oil extraction in this region is a topic of debate, our findings point to the interplay with social determinants and other sources of carcinogenic compounds, which exacerbates the risks faced by indigenous communities. Based on these findings, this study puts forward three arguments to contextualize the occurrence of cancer related to oil exploitation in the Amazon, and puts forth key recommendations for public health initiatives embedded within the local community.

Keywords: cancer; oil exploitation; indigenous; Ecuador; environmental health; health policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
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