Education improves colorectal cancer screening by flexible sigmoidoscopy in an inner city population.
OBJECTIVE
The District of Columbia General Hospital has a flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) colorectal cancer screening program. We noted that this program was underused. The aim of this study was to determine whether education could improve use of a flexible sigmoidoscopy screening program in an inner city population.


METHODS
Patients undergoing screening FS 5 months before our educational initiative were compared to patients undergoing screening FS 5 months after implementation. A 1-month period was allowed for implementation. Procedure logs and GI charts were reviewed.


RESULTS
A total of 121 patients underwent FS screening during our study period. Of the patients, 97% were African-American; 58% were female; and the average age was 61 yr. A total of 50 patients underwent FS in the pre-education group, and 71 patients underwent FS after implementation of our educational initiative.


CONCLUSIONS
Education resulted in a 42% increase in FS screening in this inner city, predominantly African-American population. Larger scale educational initiatives should be conducted to determine whether these benefits can persist and can be improved upon.
Zubarik
R
R
Department of Gastroenterology, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC, USA.
Eisen
G
G
Zubarik
J
J
Teal
C
C
Benjamin
S
S
Glaser
M
M
Jack
M
M
D000367:Age Factors; D044383:Black People; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004219:District of Columbia; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012004:Rectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy; D017664:Uncompensated Care; D014504:Urban Health; D001741:Black or African American