title: Cervical Cancer Screening and Its Associated Factors Among North Korean Defectors Living in South Korea.
abstract: North Korean defectors (NKD) have many health problems related to insufficient nutrition, trauma from escaping, and being exposed to infectious diseases, but little research exists on their cancer screening. A total of 638 NKD participated in this cross-sectional survey. South Korean natives (SKN) who participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey V were selected using age matching to each NKD. Fisher's exact tests and logistic regression were used for data analysis. The cervical cancer screening rate of NKD was significantly lower than for SKN (42 and 70 %, respectively; P < .001). The adjusted proportions of cervical cancer screening for NKD in all age groups under 60 years (P < .01) and having education beyond high school (P < .001) were significantly lower than that of SKN. NKD who had education under a high school level were more likely to have cervical cancer screening compared to NKD with education beyond a high school level (OR 1.81, 95 % CI 1.12-2.93). NKD were less likely to receive appropriate cervical cancer screening compared to SKN, especially those aged 30-39 years or married. Tailored interventions for NKD are needed to improve cervical cancer screening compliance.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Mo-Im Kim Nursing Research Institute, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jeongok
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Dongnam Health University, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.
authors.forename: HeesSook
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Doctoral Student, Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Wonhee
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute for Health and Unification Studies, School of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: HaeWon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Family Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, South Korea. smpark.snuh@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sang Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D012036:Refugees; D056910:Republic of Korea; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*
keywords: Cervical cancer; Immigrants; North Korean defectors; Screening