title: Preventive Health Behaviors Among Low-Income African American and Hispanic Populations: Can Colonoscopy Screening Serve as a Teachable Moment?
abstract: Teachable moments (TMs) are situations with potential for promoting health behavior change. Little is known as to whether colonoscopy screening itself may serve as a TM, particularly among low-income or minority populations. Research in this area is needed to inform efforts to address the disproportionate burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) experienced by minorities.
  
  
  
  This study aims to describe attitudes related to physical activity (PA) and healthy eating among a low-income Hispanic and African American sample, assess whether colonoscopy completion may encourage changes in dietary behavior or PA, and determine the type of interventions minority participants would prefer to promote preventive behaviors.
  
  
  
  Average-risk African American and Hispanic individuals who are referred for a screening colonoscopy at a Primary Care Clinic between May 2008 and December 2011 were eligible. Data were collected at three time points: at recruitment, 2 weeks before their colonoscopy, and 1 month after their colonoscopy (n = 537).
  
  
  
  The difference in change in PA from baseline to post-colonoscopy follow-up between those who had a colonoscopy and those who did not was significant (p = .04). Those who completed a colonoscopy increased their PA by 0.26 days on average, whereas, those who did not decreased their PA by 0.46 days.
  
  
  
  Findings suggest that the time following colonoscopy completion may be ideal to provide health promotion for PA and healthy eating. Future research is needed to explore the mechanisms that influence health behavior change as a result of colonoscopies to inform the development of interventions in this area.
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA. Pathu.sriphanlop@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Pathu
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sriphanlop
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Lina
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jandorf
authors.affiliation: Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, USA.
authors.forename: Hayley
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Heiddis
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Valdimarsdottir
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Redd
authors.affiliation: Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Shelton
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003113:Colonoscopy; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D011203:Poverty; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Behavior change; Cancer; Cancer screening; Colorectal cancer; Physical activity; Teachable moment