Body mass index and cancer screening in older American Indian and Alaska Native men.
BACKGROUND
Regular screenings are important for reducing cancer morbidity and mortality. There are several barriers to receiving timely cancer screening, including overweight/obesity. No study has examined the relationship between overweight/obesity and cancer screening among American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/ANs).


OBJECTIVE
To describe the prevalence of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing among AI/AN men within the past year by age and rurality, and determine if body mass index (BMI) is associated with screening.


METHODS
A national cross-sectional survey was administered face-to-face to 2,447 AI/AN men at least 55 years of age in 2004-2005. Participants were asked when they last had FOBT and PSA testing. BMI was derived from self-reported height and weight, and rurality of residence was defined by rural-urban commuting area codes. We assessed the association of cancer screening and BMI with logistic regression models, adjusting for demographic and health factors.


RESULTS
Prevalence of up-to-date FOBT and PSA testing were 23% and 40%, respectively. Older men were more likely than younger men to have FOBT and PSA testing. BMI was not associated with receipt of FOBT or PSA testing.


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first study to examine obesity and health care in AI/ANs. As in other populations, FOBT and PSA testing were suboptimal. Screening was not associated with BMI. Studies of AI/AN men are needed to understand the barriers to receiving timely screenings for prostate and colorectal cancer.
Muus
Kyle J
KJ
Center for Rural Health, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, ND 58203, USA. klmuus@medicine.nodak.edu
Baker-Demaray
Twyla
T
McDonald
Leander R
LR
Ludtke
Richard L
RL
Allery
Alan J
AJ
Bogart
T Andy
TA
Goldberg
Jack
J
Ramsey
Scott D
SD
Buchwald
Dedra S
DS
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000413:Alaska; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000523:psychology*; D004930:Inuit / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D009780:Occult Blood; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen