What drives patients’ preferences for cancer care in South Korea’s capital area? A study on preferences concerning cancer care facilities

Owing to the increasing number of patients diagnosed with cancer and the substantial proportion traveling to the capital area for care in Korea, this study examined the association between private health insurance enrollment and willingness to travel for cancer services. Data were obtained from a survey conducted by the National Cancer Center of Korea between September and October 2023. A total of 3,000 individuals aged 20–69 years were stratified by sex and age across 17 regions, and 1,349 participants residing outside the capital area comprised the final analytic sample. Multiple logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the relationship between private health insurance enrollment and willingness to travel to the capital area for cancer diagnosis, treatment, and post-treatment care. Subgroup analyses were performed by area of residence and household income level. Among the 1,349 participants, 981 (72.7%) had private health insurance. Individuals with private health insurance showed a significantly higher willingness to travel to the capital area for cancer diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.28–2.18), treatment (OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.28–2.19), and post-treatment care (OR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.12–1.97). These patterns were consistent across residential areas and income groups. This study highlights private health insurance as an important factor shaping patients’ care-seeking behavior and potentially reinforcing regional disparities in access to cancer services. Strengthening insurance policies and addressing socioeconomic inequalities may be essential to ensuring equitable access to high-quality cancer care across regions.