Income-related Inequalities in Cancer Screening Among Korean Adults Aged 40 and Above: A Cross-sectional Analysis of the Age-varying Mediation of Health Literacy

Health literacy significantly mediated the relationship between income and cancer screening participation from the mid-50s onward, with progressively greater contributions at older ages. These findings support age-differentiated strategies, including structural accessibility improvements for adults in their 40s and early 50s and integrated income-health literacy interventions for individuals aged ≥55 years. Experimental studies are warranted to confirm these associations.