Beliefs and Intentions to Undergo Lung Cancer Screening among Korean Males / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) has been reported as an effective screening method for lung cancer in high-risk populations. We aimed to examine willingness to be screened among Korean males using LDCT and to determine factors associated with lung cancer screening intentions (LCS) based on the Health Belief Model (HBM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2015 Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, a cross-sectional survey that utilized nationally representative random sampling. The survey included 1,730 male participants 40-74-year-old. Respondents were questioned regarding their willingness to undergo LCS and components of HBM. Factors associated with intentions to undergo screening were explored using logistic regression. RESULTS: Among participants, 65.2% were current smokers. Among high-risk subjects, 60.6% of men reported intentions to undergo LCS, compared to 49.9% of average-risk males. Men with higher perceived susceptibility in the average- and high-risk groups were, respectively, 1.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39 to 1.91) and 2.30 (95% CI, 1.14 to 4.63) times more likely to intend to undergo LCS compared to those with lower perceived barriers. Also, men in the average- and high-risk groups with higher perceived barriers to screening were, respectively, 0.79 (95% CI, 0.68 to 0.91) and 0.52 (95% CI, 0.29 to 0.92) times less likely to intend to undergo LCS compared to those with lower perceived barriers. CONCLUSION: Tailored interventions designed to promote accurate perceptions of susceptibility and risk, as well as to reduce perceived barriers to screening, may effectively increase adherence to recommendations for LCS among high-risk Korean men.

Stages of Adoption for Fecal Occult Blood Test and Colonoscopy Tests for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Korea / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

PURPOSE: While colorectal cancer (CRC) is common in Asian countries, screening for CRC is not. Moreover, CRC screening behaviors in Asian populations remain largely unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the stages of adopting CRC screening in Korea according to screening modality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from the 2014 Korean National Cancer Screening Survey, a cross-sectional survey that utilized nationally representative random sampling to investigate cancer screening rates. A total of 2,066 participants aged 50-74 years were included in this study. Chi-square test and multinomial logistic regression were applied to determine stages of adoption for fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and colonoscopy and factors associated with each stage. RESULTS: Of 1,593 participants included in an analysis of stage of adoption for FOBT, 36% were in action/maintenance stages, while 18%, 40%, and 6% were in precontemplation, contemplation, and relapse/relapse risk stages, respectively. Of 1,371 subjects included in an analysis of stage of adoption for colonoscopy, 48% were in action/maintenance stages, with 21% in precontemplation, 21% in contemplation, and 11% in relapse/relapse risk stages. Multinomial logistic regression highlighted sex, household income, place of residency, family history of cancer, having private cancer insurance, smoking status, alcohol use, and regular exercise as being associated with stages of adoption for FOBT and colonoscopy. CONCLUSION: This study outlines the distributions of stages of adoption for CRC screening by screening modality. Interventions to improve screening rates should be tailored to individuals in particular stages of adoption for CRC screening by modality.