Comparisons of Papanicolaou Utilization and Cervical Cancer Detection between Rural and Urban Women in Taiwan

Chiu-Ming Yang, Fung-Chang Sung, Chao-Song Hsue, Chih-Hsin Muo, Shu-Wei Wang and Shwn-Huey Shieh
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Chiu-Ming Yang: Department of Health Services Administration, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
Fung-Chang Sung: Department of Health Services Administration, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan
Chao-Song Hsue: China Medical University Bei Kang Hospital, Bei Kang, Yunlin County 651, Taiwan
Chih-Hsin Muo: Management Office for Health Data, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404, Taiwan
Shu-Wei Wang: China Medical University Bei Kang Hospital, Bei Kang, Yunlin County 651, Taiwan
Shwn-Huey Shieh: Department of Health Services Administration, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung 404, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 18, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Using the claims data of one million insured residents in Taiwan from 1996–2013, this study identified 12,126 women in an urban city (Taichung) and 7229 women in a rural county (Yunlin), aged 20 and above. We compared Papanicolaou (Pap) test uses and cervical cancer detection rates between urban and rural women. Results showed that the Pap screening rate was slightly higher in rural women than in urban women (86.1 vs. 81.3 percent). The cervical cancer incidence was much greater for women without Pap test than women with the test (35.8 vs. 9.00 per 1000 in rural women and 20.3 vs. 7.00 per 1000 in urban women). Nested case-control analysis showed that Pap test receivers had an adjusted odds ratio (OR) of 0.35 (95% CI = 0.25–0.51) to be diagnosed with cervical cancer as compared to those who did not receive the test. The rural women had an adjusted OR of 1.46 (95% CI = 1.03–2.06) to be diagnosed with cervical cancer as compared to urban women. In conclusion, women in rural area are at higher cancer risk than city women. Women who do not undergo Pap tests deserve timely intervention of Pap test to prevent the onset of cancer, particularly in rural women with low income.

Keywords: cervical cancer; insurance claims data; Papanicolaou test; rural; urban (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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