Willingness to undergo colorectal cancer screening in first-degree relatives of hospitalized patients with colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether willingness to undergo colonoscopy screening is influenced by being a first-degree relative of hospitalized patients with or without colorectal cancer after briefing and surgeon recommendation.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional study of 327 first-degree relatives of hospitalized patients aged higher than 40 years, divided into Group A (151 relatives of colorectal cancer patients) and Group B (176 relatives of non-cancer patients) at the University Hospital of the Canary Islands, Spain. All were personally briefed by a surgeon, aided by a colorectal cancer pamphlet, and encouraged to accept screening colonoscopy with sedation.


RESULTS
Willingness to undergo colonoscopy screening was greater in Group A (66.9%) than in Group B (29.0%); (odds ratio: 11.1; 95% confidence interval = 4.27 to 29.14; P < 0.001). Pre-briefing awareness of screening colonoscopy was also significantly higher in Group A (76.8% vs. 33.5%; P < 0.001), the main source of information being a close relative with colorectal cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Being a close relative of a colorectal cancer patient is positively related with willingness to undergo colonoscopy screening in this study. This cross-sectional study outlines a strategy for increasing the level of willingness to undergo colorectal cancer screening in a group of people at risk.
Department of Surgery, Hospital Universitario de Canarias, Ofra, s/n. La Cuesta 38320-La Laguna, Santa Cruz de Tenerife. lucianodelgado1@gmail.com
L
L
Delgado-Plasencia
E
E
López-Tomassetti-Fernández
A
A
Hernández-Morales
E
E
Torres-Monzón
F
F
González-Hermoso
D000368:Aged; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data