title: [Adherence of physicians to colorectal cancer screening: which is their compliance to this strategy?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is strongly recommended as early diagnosis improves survival and reduces mortality. However, the adherence in general population is about 50% and even lower among physicians.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  1) To estimate the percentage of physicians that had done a screening test. 2) To estimate the frequency of tests used by these professionals.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted an anonymous survey among 269 physicians, 50-year-old or more, from four hospitals and four scientific conventions in 2008. This validated survey included specialty, family history, compliance to screening, clinical features at screening, age, tests used reasons for having or not done the tests and results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four hundred and two data surveys were included (response rate 90%). Average age was 58+6 years. Specialties were Internal Medicine (72%), Surgery (18%) and others (9%). One hundred physicians had a test done [41% (IC95% 35-47)]. The most used test was colonoscopy [70% (IC 95% 60-78)], followed by barium enema [10% (IC 95% 5-18)]. From screened physicians, 36% had family history of CRC, 63% did not and 1% was unaware of this antecedent. Physicians referred the following reasons for not being compliant: personal decision, fear of the procedure, insufficient knowledge of guidelines and lack of time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The compliance of physicians to CRC screening is suboptimal. New strategies should be implemented to achieve changes in health habits of physicians and compliance to preventive strategies.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterología Diagnóstica y Terapéutica (GEDyT), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina. carolinabolino@gedyt.com.ar
authors.forename: María Carolina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bolino
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canseco
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krayeski
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sylvester
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pedace
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Caro
authors.forename: Cecilio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cerisoli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies