[A population survey on a mass screening program for gastric cancer. 1. Population characteristics related to examination rates for the screening program].

The types of examination received for gastric cancer during the past 3 years have been surveyed by a self-administered questionnaire among residents of a small town near Kitakyushu City. Among 3660 surveyed, 2205 subjects who completed the questionnaire are analyzed in this study. Examination rates of mass screening for males were higher than those for females. Males in their forties and fifties and females in their forties through sixties have higher examination rates than other age groups. Higher examination rates were seen in public officials and employees who have opportunities to receive the screening program at work site. On the other hand, among people without a job and housewives who have opportunities to receive a screening program offered only by the town hall, examination rates of the mass screening program were low. More people with a family history of cancer death were examined than those without a similar family history. There was no difference in the examination rates by the mass screening program between the people who took care of their health and those who did not. In order to raise examination rates for the mass screening program, it is essential to improve the systems of this program which can be easily accepted, and to educate residents in order to stimulate motivation for screening.