title: Gastric cancer screening in Korea: report on the national cancer screening program in 2008.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The National Cancer Screening Program (NCSP) began in 1999. The objective of this report is to evaluate the results of the NCSP in 2008 and provide essential evidence associated with the gastric cancer screening program in Korea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data was obtained from the National Cancer Screening Information System; participation rates in gastric cancer screening were calculated. According to screening modalities, recall rates were estimated with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The target population of the gastric cancer screening program in 2008 was 7,132,820 Korean men and women aged 40 and over, 2,076,544 of whom underwent upper endoscopy or upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series as screening tools (participation rate, 29.1%). Disparities in participation rates were observed relating to gender and health insurance type. Overall, recall rates of upper endoscopy and UGI series were 3.1% (95% CI, 3.0 to 3.1) and 33.3% (95% CI, 33.3 to 33.4), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to our research, efforts to facilitate participation and to reduce disparities in gastric cancer screening among Korean men and women are needed. These results will provide essential data for evidence-based strategies in gastric cancer control in Korea.
authors.affiliation: National Cancer Control Institute, National Cancer Center, Goyang, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Sook
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dong Kwan
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Mi Ah
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Hoo-Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae Kwan
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Kui Son
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Eun-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Park