Factors associated with racial/ethnic differences in colorectal cancer screening.
BACKGROUND
Racial/ethnic differences in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are thought to account, in part, for the racial/ethnic differences in CRC disease burden. The purpose of this study was to examine which factors mediate racial/ethnic differences in CRC screening.


METHODS
Five hundred sixty participants attending a primary care clinic, aged 50 to 80 years, and of African-American, Hispanic, or non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity were interviewed. The goal was to assess the contribution of sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, beliefs about CRC, and the health care experience with their primary care doctor to racial/ethnic differences in CRC screening. The outcome variable was self-reported screening. All analyses were weighted; bivariate testing and multivariate logistic regression was conducted.


RESULTS
The response rate was 55.7%, with no sociodemographic differences noted between respondents and non-respondents. Respondents were African-American (n = 194), Hispanic (n = 162), and non-Hispanic white (n = 204); 64.5% were aged 50 to 64 years; 63.1% were women; 96.9% were insured; and over half reported a total annual income of less than $25,000. Overall 62.5% were current with CRC screening: 67.5% of non-Hispanic whites, 54.3% of African-Americans, and 48.6% of Hispanics (P < .001). A doctor's recommendation (odds ratio, 3.86); awareness of screening (odds ratio, 3.32); older age (odds ratio, 2.88); greater education (odds ratio, 2.02); and perceived susceptibility (odds ratio, 1.74) contributed to racial/ethnic differences in CRC screening.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions to address CRC screening disparities among racial/ethnic groups should focus on the health care setting and patient education about CRC screening; differences in attitudes and beliefs seem to be less important.
Shokar
Navkiran K
NK
Department of Family Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555, USA. nkshokar@utmb.edu
Carlson
Carol A
CA
Weller
Susan C
SC
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology