Trends in age distribution of participants in a self-covered and a public expense-covered health check-up programs in Japan

Maki Ogawa,Atsushi Imai

doi:10.4236/health.2012.49088

Abstract

Objective: In Japan, there are unique facilities (namely Ningen Dock) of health check-up, where asymptomatic participants undergo a medical examination at their own expense. The earlier occurrence of cervical cancer and the concern on screening prompted us compare to the age distribution in the self-covered system with that of free physical check-up programs at public expense. Methods: We analyzed medical records of Japanese women, who underwent gynecological examinations at self-covered expense and at public expense between for the periods 2002-2011 and 2005-2009, respectively, restricting examinee’s age group. Results: For self-covered system, approximately 80% of the overall examinee population was occupied with three age groups 30-39, 40-49 and 50-59. The participants was extremely fewer in the over 60 years age group accounting for 10%, compared to those for the public expense-covered system, the over 60 years age group being 25%. Participant under the age of 30 years seemed to increase in chronological order in both systems. Conclusion: The level of knowledge on sexually transmitted infections may contribute to screening promotion for the younger women, while the elderly over 60 years’ attitudes toward screening may be mainly related to social-economic status and/or public expense support.

Highlights

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignnancy among woman worldwide [1,2]
Substantial data point to persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection as its cause [3,4,5]
Societies where sexual activity starts at a young age and where multiple partners are common are at a higher risk of exposure to HPV than in conservative societies [8]

Summary

Introduction

Cervical cancer is the second most common malignnancy among woman worldwide [1,2]. The most frequently sexually transmitted disease (STD) worldwide is HPV infection. Societies where sexual activity starts at a young age and where multiple partners are common are at a higher risk of exposure to HPV than in conservative societies [8]. In Japan, there are unique facilities (namely Ningen Dock) of health check-up including gynecological cancer screening activities, where asymptomatic participants undergo a medical examination at their own expense. For low- or mild-income women, local communities support free physical check-up programs, by which asymptomatic women undergo a medical examination at public expense. The aim of this study was to compare the age distribution in the self-covered system with that of public expense-covered physical check-up programs. The gynecological positive findings in these systems have been reported elsewhere [14,15]

Methods

Results

Conclusion