title: Barriers to screening for colorectal cancer.
abstract: Rapidly growing interest in colon cancer screening is a crucial first step to identifying and reducing many of the barriers that impede population screening for this common disease. Promoting screening demands health care policy change to increase the percentage of Americans with insurance coverage that includes a colon cancer screening benefit. A systematic approach to screening with invitations that come from a clinician are likely to be the most effective way to prompt more individuals to be screened. Awareness campaigns and patient educational aids, including decision tools, implemented in multiple sites, such as worksites, community centers, health care systems, and physician offices, increase the percent of eligible Americans who understand their personal risk, the need for screening, and the options available to them.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Wender
mesh_terms: D001466:Barium Sulfate; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004733:Enema; D006293:Health Promotion; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D019458:Insurance Coverage; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000191:economics; D009780:Occult Blood; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy; D014481:United States
chemical_list: D001466:Barium Sulfate