Resident physicians' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to colorectal cancer screening for African Americans.
BACKGROUND
African Americans experience disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC), yet they complete screening at lower rates than Caucasians. While studies have identified barriers and facilitators to CRC screening among African Americans, no study has examined physician perceptions of these barriers.


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine how resident physicians view barriers and facilitators to CRC screening among their African American patients, and to compare residents' perceptions with barriers and facilitators that have been reported in studies with African Americans.


METHODS
Both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained during in-depth interviews with 30 upper-year residents from an urban academic internal medicine program.


RESULTS
Residents recognized the low levels of awareness of CRC that have been reported among African American patients. The most common barriers reported by residents were lack of knowledge, fears, personal/social circumstances, and colonoscopy-specific concerns. Residents reported a need for increased education, increased public awareness, and easier scheduling as facilitators for screening. Residents failed to appreciate some key perceptions held by African Americans that have been documented to either impede or facilitate CRC screening completion, particularly the positive beliefs that could be used to overcome some of the perceived barriers.


CONCLUSIONS
Residents may be missing opportunities to more effectively communicate about CRC screening with their African American patients. Residents need more explicit education about African Americans' perceptions to successfully promote screening behaviors in this high-risk population.
Ward
Stephanie H
SH
Department of Medicine, Section of General Internal Medicine, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19140 USA. stephanie.ward@tuhs.temple.edu
Parameswaran
Lalitha
L
Bass
Sarah B
SB
Paranjape
Anuradha
A
Gordon
Thomas F
TF
Ruzek
Sheryl Burt
SB
D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*