title: Sociodemographic gradients in breast and cervical cancer screening in Korea: the Korean National Cancer Screening Survey (KNCSS) 2005-2009.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer screening rates in Korea for five cancer types have increased steadily since 2002. With regard to the life-time cancer screening rates in 2009 according to cancer sites, the second highest was breast cancer (78.1%) and the third highest was cervical cancer (76.1%). Despite overall increases in the screening rate, disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening, based on sociodemographic characteristics, still exist.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 4,139 women aged 40 to 74 years from the 2005 to 2009 Korea National Cancer Screening Survey were used to analyze the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and receiving mammograms and Pap smears. The main outcome measures were ever having had a mammogram and ever having had a Pap smear. Using these items of information, we classified women into those who had had both types of screening, only one screening type, and neither screening type. We used logistic regression to investigate relationships between screening history and sociodemographic characteristics of the women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Being married, having a higher education, a rural residence, and private health insurance were significantly associated with higher rates of breast and cervical cancer screening after adjusting for age and sociodemographic factors. Household income was not significantly associated with mammograms or Pap smears after adjusting for age and sociodemographic factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening associated with low sociodemographic status persist in Korea.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, 111 Jungbalsan-ro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 410-769, Korea. hoo@ncc.re.kr
authors.forename: Mi Jin
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Eun-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kui Son
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jae Kwan
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Hoo-Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D008327:Mammography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008393:Marriage; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D065006:Papanicolaou Test; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D012424:Rural Population; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014626:Vaginal Smears / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*