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June 23, 2008Study evaluates factors associated with racial disparities in colon cancer screening |
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From EurekAlert! - Breaking News: Blacks and Hispanics appear less likely to undergo colorectal cancer screening than whites because of socioeconomic, health care access and language barriers, according to a report in the June 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. However, other factors may contribute to screening disparities experienced by Asians. Colorectal cancer screening rates lag behind those for other cancer screening tests, according to background information in the article. "Such disparities in screening may contribute to the higher colorectal cancer incidence and mortality [death] rates observed in racial/ethnic minorities relative to non-Hispanic whites," the authors write. A total of 22,973 adults age 50 and older answered questions about demographics, colorectal cancer screening behaviors and other social and health care factors. Overall, 54.1 percent of the participants were screened for colorectal cancer using either colonoscopy or fecal occult blood testing (FOBT). After adjusting for other factors associated with screening behavior---including demographics, socioeconomic variables, language spoken at home, health care access and self-rated health---disparities between blacks, Hispanics and whites disappeared, the authors note. "Beyond socioeconomic factors, which disproportionately affect minorities, these findings suggest the effect of access and, for Hispanics, language-appropriate care on colorectal cancer screening uptake," they write. "Less acculturated Asian individuals in the United States may have core health beliefs and values that differ from those in the 'Western' health model, leading them to decline FOBT or endoscopy offered in the absence of worrisome symptoms. The findings suggest that different types of programs may improve screening rates in separate minority groups, the authors conclude.
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