Korean J Fam Med.  2013 Jul;34(4):258-264. 10.4082/kjfm.2013.34.4.258.

Trends in Cervical Cancer Mortality by Socioeconomic Status in Korean Women between 1998 and 2009

• Kim MH
• Song YM
• Kim BK
• Park SM
• Ko GP

• KMID: 2304186
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4082/kjfm.2013.34.4.258

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Death from uterine cervical cancer could be preventable by an active participation of women at risk in a screening program such as the Papanicolaou test. In order to examine the presence of socioeconomic disparity in preventable deaths, we evaluated the time trends of cervical cancer mortality by socioeconomic status in Korean women.
METHODS
We selected level of educational attainment and marital status as surrogate indices of socioeconomic status. Using death certificate data and Korean Population and Housing Census data from Korea National Statistical office, we calculated age-standardized yearly mortality rates from cervical cancer between 1998 and 2009 according to the level of education as well as marital status.
RESULTS
Cervical cancer mortality peaked in 2003 and then decreased gradually over time. Cervical cancer mortality was the highest in the group with the lowest level of educational attainment in all age groups and the gap between the lowest and the highest educational level has increased over time. Cervical cancer mortality was lower in married women than unmarried women in all age groups, and the degree of difference did not change over time.
CONCLUSION
In the Korean population, socioeconomic differential in cervical cancer mortality has persisted over time.

Keyword

Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Mortality; Social Class; Educational Status; Marital Status

MeSH Terms

Censuses
Death Certificates
Educational Status
Female
Housing
Humans
Korea
Marital Status
Mass Screening
Single Person
Social Class
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms
Vaginal Smears