Identifying barriers to Papanicolaou smear screening in Korean women: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005.
OBJECTIVE
This study was conducted to provide a nationwide analysis on barriers to cervical cancer screening in Korea.


METHODS
Data used for this study was obtained in a survey called Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2005, which collected data from 2,590 Korean women aged older than 21 years who had not had a hysterectomy and were eligible for Papanicolaou (Pap) smears. Multivariate analysis was adopted to control each demographic factor and unhealthy behavior variable. Demographic factors included age, education, income, job and region; health-related behavior factors were defined as current smoking, obesity, hormone replacement therapy and disability.


RESULTS
The study found that cervical cancer screening rate was significantly positively associated with income (odds ratio [OR], 1.002; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.001 to 1.002), with education (OR, 1.324; 95% CI, 1.030 to 1.703), with job (OR, 1.420; 95% CI, 1.030 to 1.957), and with hormone replacement therapy (OR, 3.732; 95% CI, 2.354 to 5.916). Meanwhile, the age (OR, 0.977; 95% CI, 0.968 to 0.985), disability (OR, 0.358; 95% CI, 0.143 to 0.894) and smoking (OR, 0.447; 95% CI, 0.280 to 0.715) were significantly negatively associated with one's chances to take cervical cytology.


CONCLUSIONS
In order to increase the rates of Korean women taking Pap test, cervical cancer screening programs will have to pay special attention to the elderly, low-income group, smokers, and the disabled.
Park
Su Jeong
SJ
Yesarang Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Seoul, Korea.
Park
Woong-Sub
WS