Online Program

291270
Colorectal cancer screening among patients in the rural south. does risk perception defer procedure?


Wednesday, November 6, 2013 : 1:30 p.m. - 1:50 p.m.

Emmett Martin, MPH, BA, Department of Behavioral Science Community Health, Unversity of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Evelyn King-Marshall, PhD, MPH, Department of Behavioral Science Community Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Tracey E. Barnett, PhD, Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Amy Dailey, PhD, MPH, Health Sciences Department, Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
Thomas George Jr., MD, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Felix Lorenzo, MPH, CPH, Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Jane McGinley, BA, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Jennifer Nguyen, MPH, CPH, PHD, Department of Pharmacotherapy and Translational Research, University of Florida, Orlando, FL
Regina Reed, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Gregory Riherd, BS, Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Elisa Rodriguez, PhD, MS, Behavioral Science and Community Health, University of Florida, College of Public Health and Health Professions, Gainesville, FL
Jessica Schumacher, PhD, Health Services Research, Management, and Policy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Shanaz Sultan, MD, Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Mary Ellen Young, PhD, Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Barbara Curbow, PhD, Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2009 there were approximately 51,000 CRC mortalities. The most common and effective screening technique for CRC is colonoscopy. Although the most effective, colonoscopy procedure has risk of adverse reaction to anesthesia, bleeding at the site of biopsy, and perforation (Mayo Clinic). We enrolled 1147 colonoscopy patients (73.7% White), (59.6% female), (mean age 52.79 years) as part of a large study. Patients and caregivers completed a paper-based survey on the day of the procedure. Dyads were asked questions regarding anxiety levels, treatment decisions if diagnosed with colorectal cancer, as well as perceived benefit and risk involved with having a colonoscopy. Independent t-tests revealed that on a scale of 1 (not at all) to 10 (extremely), male patients reported less benefit than females (8.46 vs. 8.80; p=.004). African-American patients perceived more benefit regarding the procedure compared to whites (9.01 vs. 8.62; p= .025). Patients who felt pressured to have a colonoscopy believed that there was more risk involved (3.34 vs. 2.97; p= .007). Preliminary results suggest that further research should be conducted to explore risk/benefit perceptions related to colonoscopy. More in-depth research on this topic could uncover why some delay colonoscopy. Interventions can also be created to educate and inform individuals in certain segments of the population who defer CRC screening via colonoscopy based on perceived risks and benefits.

Learning Areas:

Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Identify factors associated with perceived risk regarding colonoscopy. Analyze psychoscocial issues that might contribute to delaying colorectal cancer screening.

Keyword(s): Cancer Screening, Cancer Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been reserach coordinator for Health Disparities in Colorectal Cancer Treatment Decision Making for 5 years.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.