title: Colorectal cancer screening: what do women from diverse ethnic groups want?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little is known about factors associated with willingness to undergo colorectal cancer (CRC) screening for personal or public health benefit among women from diverse race/ethnic groups.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate factors associated with willingness to undergo CRC screening for personal and public health benefit among women from diverse race/ethnic groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  We interviewed women aged 50 to 80 from four racial/ethnic groups from primary care clinics in 2003-2005. We asked about demographics, CRC screening knowledge and history, perceived risk of colon cancer, and about the outcomes of intention to be screened for personal benefit and for public health benefit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 492 women who completed the interview, 32 % were White, 16 % were African American, 21 % were Latina and 32 % were Asian. Up-to-date screening was reported by 77 % of women, with similar numbers obtaining fecal occult blood test (FOBT) within 2 years or colonoscopy within 10 years. The majority of women were "likely or very likely" to get FOBT or colonoscopy after learning the benefits and risks. Multivariate models showed that compared to Whites, fewer Asians would undergo colonoscopy (OR = 0.28; 95 % CI: 0.12, 0.63), while more Latinas would undergo colonoscopy (OR = 6.14; 95 % CI: 1.77, 21.34) and obtain regular CRC screening (OR = 4.47; 95 % CI: 1.66, 12.04). The majority would obtain CRC screening even if they would not personally benefit; those who perceived themselves to be at higher than average cancer risk were more likely to participate in CRC screening for public health benefit (OR = 2.32; 95 % CI: 1.32, 4.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of women are willing to undergo screening for personal benefit. Asians were less likely, and Latinas more likely, to accept colonoscopy. Most are also willing to undergo screening for public health benefit. Self-perceived risk of CRC was the most consistent predictor of willingness and intention to be screened for either personal or public health benefit.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, 1545 Divisadero Street, Room 316, Box 0320, San Francisco, CA 94143-0320, USA.
authors.forename: Judith M E
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Sue E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sawaya
authors.forename: Celia P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: Sabrina T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Steve E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Gregorich
authors.forename: Eliseo J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Pérez-Stable
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001213:Asian / Q000523:psychology; D002140:California; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000523:psychology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Q000208:ethnology; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology*; D011634:Public Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology