 | The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
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| The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA |
Cynthia Mojica, MPH, Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research, UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, A2-125 CHS Box 956900, Los Angeles, CA 90095-6900, (310) 794-9038, cmojica@ucla.edu and Roshan Bastani, PhD, University of California - Los Angeles, 650 S. Charles Young Dr., P.O. Box 956900, A2- 125 CHS, Los Angeles, CA 90095.
Although first-degree relatives of colorectal cancer patients are at high risk of acquiring the disease, screening rates among first-degree relatives are only slightly higher than that of the general population. This four-year NIH funded randomized trial is testing the effects of a culturally tailored, personalized risk intervention on screening rates among Caucasian, African-American, Latino, and Asian first-degree relatives of colon cancer patients recruited from the California Cancer Registry. Follow-up surveys and medical records will be used to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. Over 1800 relatives have been recruited and randomized into an intervention or usual care control group. Data from a baseline survey will provide ethnic-specific information on barriers to screening, misconceptions about risk factors, and self-reported screening rates. Preliminary analysis reveal that the most commonly reported barriers to screening, although varying by ethnic group, are cost, fear of finding colorectal cancer, transportation, inconvenience, embarrassment, and belief that a physician must recommend the test. Misconceptions about risk factors also differ among ethnic groups. Latinos and African-Americans, for example, report that sitting on hot or cold surfaces, as well as using public restrooms, causes colorectal cancer. Other analyses reveal that age, insurance status, discussion of personal risk with physician, and physician recommendation are predictors of receipt of colorectal screening at baseline. At the conclusion of this presentation, participants will be able to (1) learn about this high risk population with respect to screening behavior and (2) identify culturally specific barriers and misconceptions about screening and risk factors.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Cancer Screening,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.