Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention

Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention (아시아태평양암예방학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Why Screening Rates Vary between Korea and Japan-Differences between Two National Healthcare Systems

  • Goto, Rei (The Hakubi Center of Advanced Research, Graduate School of Economic, Kyoto University) ;
  • Hamashima, Chisato (Cancer Screening Assessment and Management Division, Research Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Center) ;
  • Mun, Sunghyun (Department of Business, Baekseok University) ;
  • Lee, Won-Chul (Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea)
  • Published : 2015.02.25
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Both Japan and Korea provide population-based screening programs. However, screening rates are much higher in Korea than in Japan. To clarify the possible factors explaining the differences between these two countries, we analyzed the current status of the cancer screening and background healthcare systems. Population-based cancer screening in Korea is coordinated well with social health insurance under a unified insurer system. In Japan, there are over 3,000 insurers and coordinating a comprehensive strategy for cancer screening promotion has been very difficult. The public healthcare system also has influence over cancer screening. In Korea, public healthcare does not cover a wide range of services. Almost free cancer screening and subsidization for medical cost for cancers detected in population-screening provides high incentive to participation. In Japan, on the other hand, a larger coverage of medical services, low co-payment, and a lenient medical audit enables people to have cancer screening under public health insurance as well as the broad range of cancer screening. The implementation of evidence-based cancer screening programs may be largely dependent on the background healthcare system. It is important to understand the impacts of each healthcare system as a whole and to match the characteristics of a particular health system when designing an efficient cancer screening system.

Keywords

References

  1. Chun CB, Kim SY, Lee JY, Lee SY (2009). Republic of Korea: health system review. Health Syst Trans, 11, 1-184.
  2. Everett T, Bryant A, Griffin MF, et al (2011). Interventions targeted at women to encourage the uptake of cervical screening. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 5, 2834.
  3. Forbes C, Jepson R, Martin-Hirsch P (2002). Interventions targeted at women to encourage the uptake of cervical screening. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 3, 2834.
  4. Hamashima C, Saito H, Nakayama T, Nakayama T, Sobue T (2008). The standardized development method of the Japanese guidelines for cancer screening. Japanese J Clin Oncol, 38, 288-95. https://doi.org/10.1093/jjco/hyn016
  5. Ikegami N, Anderson GF (2012). In Japan, all-payer rate setting under tight government control has proved to be an effective approach to containing costs. Health Affairs, 31, 1049-56. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2011.1037
  6. Ikegami N, Yoo B-K, Hashimoto H, et al (2011). Japanese universal health coverage: evolution, achievements, and challenges. Lancet, 378, 1106-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60828-3
  7. International Agency for Research on Cancer (2002). Use of breast cancer screening. Pp. 47-86 in IARC handbook of cancer prevention breast cancer screening, edited by Harri Vainio and Franca Bianchini. Lyon, France: IARC press.
  8. Jepson R, Clegg A, Forbes C, Lewis R, Sowden A (2000). Systematic review of the determinants of screening uptake and interventions for increasing uptake. Health Technology Assessment, 4, 133.
  9. Jung, Ee-Hwan, Byung-You Cheon (2006). Economic crisis and changes in employment relations in Japan and Korea. Asian Survey, 46, 457-76. https://doi.org/10.1525/as.2006.46.3.457
  10. Khalid-de Bakker C, Jonkers D, Smits K, et al (2011). Participation in colorectal cancer screening trials after first-time invitation: A systematic review. Endoscopy, 43, 1059-86. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0031-1291430
  11. Kuroki H (2012). Survey on the trends in uterine cervical cancer screening in Japanese women: The efficacy of free coupons in the screening. J Obstetrics Gynaecol Res, 38, 35-39. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1447-0756.2011.01672.x
  12. Lee Hoo-Yeon, Eun-Cheol Park, Jae Kwan Jun, et al (2010). Trends in socioeconomic disparities in organized and opportunistic gastric cancer screening in Korea (2005-2009). Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 19, 1919-26. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-09-1308
  13. Leung Wai K, Ming-Shiang Wu, Kakugawa Y, et al (2008). Screening for gastric cancer in Asia: current evidence and practice. Lancet Oncology, 9, 279-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1470-2045(08)70072-X
  14. Miles A, Cockburn J, Smith RA, Wardle J (2004). A perspective from countries using organized screening programs." Cancer, 101, 1201-13. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.20505
  15. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2013). OECD Health Data 2013. Paris: OECD.
  16. Park Y-T, Yoon J-S, Speedie SM, Yoon H, Lee J (2012). Health insurance claim review using information technologies. Healthc Inform Res, 18, 215-24. https://doi.org/10.4258/hir.2012.18.3.215
  17. Parkin DM, Tappenden P, Olsen AH, Patnick J, Sasieni P (2008). Predicting the impact of the screening programme for colorectal cancer in the UK. J Med Screening, 15, 163-74. https://doi.org/10.1258/jms.2008.008024
  18. Sabatino SA, Lawrence B, Elder R, et al (2012). Effectiveness of interventions to increase screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers: nine updated systematic reviews for the guide to community preventive services. Am J Prev Med, 43, 97-118. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.04.009
  19. Sano H, Goto R, Hamashima C (2014). What is the most effective strategy for improving the cancer screening rate? Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 15, 2607-12. https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2014.15.6.2607
  20. Vernon SW (1997). Participation in colorectal cancer screening: a review. J Natl Cancer Inst, 89, 1406-22. https://doi.org/10.1093/jnci/89.19.1406

Cited by

  1. Participation of the Women Covered by Family Physicians in Breast Cancer Screening Program in Kerman, Iran vol.16, pp.11, 2015, https://doi.org/10.7314/APJCP.2015.16.11.4555
  2. Potential capacity of endoscopic screening for gastric cancer in Japan vol.108, pp.1, 2016, https://doi.org/10.1111/cas.13100
  3. Association between serious psychological distress and nonparticipation in cancer screening and the modifying effect of socioeconomic status: Analysis of anonymized data from a national cross-sectional survey in Japan pp.0008543X, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.31086
  4. Cost-effectiveness of Helicobacter pylori screening followed by eradication treatment for employees in Japan vol.146, pp.14, 2018, https://doi.org/10.1017/S095026881800208X
  5. Socioeconomic Inequalities in Stomach Cancer Screening in Korea, 2005–2015: After the Introduction of the National Cancer Screening Program vol.59, pp.8, 2018, https://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2018.59.8.923