Changes in the magnitude of social inequality in the uptake of cervical cancer screening in Taiwan, a country implementing a population-based organized screening program

International Journal for Equity in Health

Tsung-Hsueh Lu¹  Baai-Shyun Hurng³  Chien-Yuan Wu³  Shu-Ti Chiou² 

[1] Institute of Public Health, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan;Institute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan;Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei, Taiwan

关键词: Uterine cervical neoplasm;    Socio-economic factors;    National Health Interview Survey;    Mass screening;   

Others  :  804232
DOI  :  10.1186/1475-9276-13-4

 received in 2013-06-10, accepted in 2013-12-17,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Introduction

We sought to examine changes in the magnitude of social inequality in the uptake of cervical cancer screening between 2001 and 2009 in Taiwan.

Methods

We used data from the 2001 and 2009 Taiwan National Health Interview Surveys to calculate the absolute (slope of index of inequality, SII) and relative (relative index of inequality, RII) summary measures of social inequality in the uptake of Pap smear tests to indicate the magnitude of social inequality.

Results

The prevalence of having had a Pap smear during the previous 3 years increased in each age and socioeconomic group from 2001 to 2009. The SII and RII by urbanization and education level decreased significantly, while the SII and RII by income level increased significantly between the two study years. The largest increase in inequality of prevalence from 2001 to 2009 was between women living in suburban and rural areas with highest income level and women live in metropolitan areas with lowest income level.

Conclusions

The changes in magnitude of social inequality in the uptake of cervical cancer screening differed by indicators of socioeconomic position. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms that result in social inequality by different indicators of socioeconomic position.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Chiou et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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