title: Knowledge and attitudes of primary health care physicians and nurses with regard to population screening for colorectal cancer in Balearic Islands and Barcelona.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Primary health care (PHC) professionals play a key role in population screening of colorectal cancer. The purposes of the study are: to assess knowledge and attitudes among PHC professionals with regard to colorectal cancer screening, as well as the factors that determine their support for such screening.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaire-based survey of PHC physicians and nurses in the Balearic Islands and in a part of the metropolitan area of Barcelona.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We collected 1,219 questionnaires. About 84% of all professionals believe that screening for colorectal cancer by fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is effective. Around 68% would recommend to their clients a colorectal cancer screening program based on FOBT and colonoscopy. About 31% are reluctant or do not know. Professionals perceive the fear of undergoing a colonoscopy as the main obstacle in getting patients to participate, and the invasive nature of this test is the main reason behind their resistance to this program. The main barriers to support the screening program among PHC professionals are lack of knowledge (nurses) and lack of time (physicians). On multivariate analysis, the factors associated with reluctance to recommend colorectal cancer screening were: believing that FOBT has poor sensitivity and is complicated; that colonoscopy is an invasive procedure; that a lack of perceived benefit could discourage client participation; that only a minority of clients would participate; thinking that clients are fed up with screening tests and being unaware if they should be offered something to ensure their participation in the programme.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Two in every three PHC professionals would support a population screening program for colorectal cancer screening. Factors associated with reluctance to recommend it were related with screening tests characteristics as sensitivity and complexity of FOBT, and also invasive feature of colonoscopy. Other factors were related with patients' believes.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Balearic Islands Health Department, Spain. mramos@dgsanita.caib.es
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esteva
authors.forename: Jesús
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Almeda
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cabeza
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Puente
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saladich
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boada
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Llagostera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D010820:Physicians; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires