title: Self-reported participation and beliefs about bowel cancer screening in New South Wales, Australia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe self-reported bowel cancer screening participation, beliefs and attitudes in a sample of New South Wales (NSW) adults, and to identify beliefs and demographic factors associated with self-reported bowel cancer screening participation.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study used data from the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership Module 2, a representative population-based telephone survey. Self-reported participation in and beliefs about bowel cancer screening were measured using the Awareness and Beliefs about Cancer survey of people aged 50 years and over living in NSW, Australia (n=2001). Logistic regression modelling was used to identify explanatory variables associated with bowel cancer screening participation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Half of all women (54.1%, 95% CI: 50.8-57.4%) and two-thirds of men (65.7%, 95% CI: 61.5-69.9%) reported screening for bowel cancer within the previous 5 years. Believing that screening was only necessary when experiencing symptoms was more likely to be endorsed by people aged 65 years and over (25.5%, 95% CI: 22.2-28.7%) rather than younger (50-64 years; 16.7%, 95% CI: 13.8-19.7%), non-English-speaking migrants (35.4%, 95% CI: 26.7-44.1%) versus others (18.6%, 95% CI: 16.4-20.7%), and people in metropolitan (23.3%, 95% CI: 20.4-26.1%) versus non-metropolitan areas (16.4%, 95% CI: 12.8-20%). People who disagreed that screening was only necessary when experiencing symptoms were four times more likely to report screening participation (OR 3.96, 95% CI: 3.11-5.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Community education about bowel cancer screening is needed to correct misperceptions regarding screening in the absence of symptoms. Tailored strategies for older, migrant and urban communities may be beneficial. SO WHAT? Education strategies that promote the need for screening in the absence of symptoms and correct misconceptions about bowel cancer screening amongst subgroups of the NSW population may improve screening rates and decrease the burden of bowel cancer in NSW.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute NSW, PO Box 41, Alexandria, NSW 1435, Australia.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varlow
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute NSW, PO Box 41, Alexandria, NSW 1435, Australia.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Stacey
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute NSW, PO Box 41, Alexandria, NSW 1435, Australia.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dunlop
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute NSW, PO Box 41, Alexandria, NSW 1435, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute NSW, PO Box 41, Alexandria, NSW 1435, Australia.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kite
authors.affiliation: Cancer Institute NSW, PO Box 41, Alexandria, NSW 1435, Australia.
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dessaix
authors.affiliation: Sydney School of Public Health, The University of Sydney, Edward Ford Building (A27), NSW 2006, Australia.
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McAulay
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003469:Culture; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009517:New South Wales / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors