COVID-19 Pandemic Worsens Socioeconomic Inequalities in Cancer Screening Participation

Strategic Insights -

Researchers have analyzed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cancer screening participation in Japan, revealing significant socioeconomic inequalities. According to a study published in the Journal of Epidemiology, the pandemic exacerbated pre-existing disparities in cancer screening rates, particularly among individuals with lower education levels. The study used data from the Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions between 2013 and 2022, analyzing self-reported cancer screening rates for various cancers. The results showed a persistent socioeconomic gradient, with significant declines in screening rates for certain cancers, particularly among those with lower education levels.

Key Takeaways:

  • The COVID-19 pandemic worsened socioeconomic inequalities in cancer screening participation in Japan, particularly among individuals with lower education levels.
  • A clear socioeconomic gradient was observed in stomach cancer screening, with significant differences in screening rates between those with high and low education levels.
  • The pandemic had a minor impact on screening rates for most cancers, except for colorectal cancer screening rates, which saw a significant decline among individuals with lower education levels.
  • The decline in breast cancer screening among individuals with low education level was 3.1% compared to a 1.0% decline among those with higher education level.
  • Age-adjusted Poisson model analysis revealed statistically significant changes in cancer screening rates between survey years.
  • Financial support for the research came from Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI).

Statistics:

  • Cancer screening rates for stomach cancer in 2022 ranged from 28.3% (low education) to 58.2% (high education) for men and 20.2% to 43.2% for women.
  • Breast cancer screening rates declined by 0.5% between 2019 and 2022.
  • Colorectal cancer screening rates changed by +0.6% for men and +0.4% for women between 2019 and 2022.

Sources:

  • National Cancer Center
  • Japan Epidemiological Assoc, Hongo Mt Bldg, 4 Fl, 7-2-2, Hongo, Bunkyo-Ku, Tokyo, Japan
  • Hirokazu Tanaka, National Cancer Center, Inst Canc Control, Div Populat Data Sci, Tokyo, Japan
  • Trends In Socioeconomic Inequalities In Cancer Screening Participation Before and After the Covid-19 Pandemic In Japan
  • Journal of Epidemiology, 2025.