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Educational intervention, free test kits increase colorectal cancer screening rates among black individuals
Providing educational interventions and free fecal immunochemical test kits to black residents in Florida resulted in an 86.7% screening completion rate, according to data published in Cancer.
“The high [colorectal cancer] screening uptake rate in our study suggests that addressing access barriers and offering printed educational information may increase [colorectal cancer] screening rates in this population,” Shannon M. Christy, PhD, of Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute and Morsani College of Medicine at University of South Florida, and colleagues wrote.
Colorectal cancer incidence and mortality are higher among blacks than any other racial group or ethnicity.
Screening rates among blacks — roughly 56% — are lower than the target rates set by the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, which calls for an 80% screening rate by 2018, and the Healthy People 2020 target of 70.5%.
Researchers carried out a culturally targeted intervention among 330 black residents of four counties. Investigators divided participants into two groups. One group received an informational photonovella booklet (n = 144), and the other group received a brochure on colorectal cancer (n = 186).
Both groups also received free fecal immunochemical test kits, which they were asked to return to the study team within 180 days.
Overall screening uptake at 6 months was 86.7%. Participants who received the brochures were more likely than those who received the photonovella booklet to return their test kits (90.3% vs. 81.9%).
After controlling for differences between the groups, the researchers concluded there was no significant difference between the two types of interventions on the rate at which kits were returned.
The inability to work was a significant predictor of nonresponse (P = .010), as was a tendency to be more religious (P = .015) and living farther from the cancer center (P = .015). The return rates were greater than either of the goals set by the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable or Healthy People 2020.
“Few other colorectal cancer screening interventions have achieved greater than 70% screening rates among individuals at average risk for [colorectal cancer] who were not up to date with screening guidelines,” Christy and colleagues wrote. – by Andy Polhamus
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.