Back to Annual Meeting

Back to Annual Meeting

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Maria Blazo, MD, Nancy Weller, DrPH, and Viola Benavidez, BS. Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 3701 Kirby, Suite 600, Houston, TX 77098, 713-798-3633, nweller@bcm.edu

Background: Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death among adult Americans. Differences in CRC screening rates via Fecal Occult Blood Testing (FOBT) exist among African-Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians. Although widely recommended, CRC screening remains underutilized, especially among underserved populations attending public health clinics. The purpose of this study was to document the prevalence of FOBT screening recommendations and patient follow-through among patients seen in a large, urban public health setting. Methods: This abstract reports on a mixed methodology qualitative and quantitative study. Five focus groups were held in each of three public health clinics to determine patient health literacy (knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and barriers) about CRC screening and prevention. Three-hundred patient charts were randomly selected by gender and clinic and subsequently reviewed. Provider recommendation for FOBT screening over a five-year period and patient follow-up documented with charted lab results were recorded by study staff. Results: Of 290 charts with a documented recommendation for FOBT screening, 166 (57.2%) patients were recommended for FOBT screening at least once in five years. Almost 75% of patient charts, over five years, showed lab results documenting patient follow-up. Significant differences in recommendations were noted by clinic, but no differences for follow-through were found for gender, race/ethnicity, or clinic. Focus groups revealed many barriers to completion of FOBT tests, including lack of physician recommendation, patient preferences, and cultural barriers. Conclusions: Further investigation is needed to more fully understand the dynamics of FOBT recommendations, differences by clinic, and patient compliance factors.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe several clinic and physician barriers to recommending Fecal Occult Blood Testing screening.
• Describe several patient preferences and barriers to compliance with Fecal Occult Blood Testing screening.
• Describe several cultural barriers to patient compliance with Fecal Occult Blood Testing screening that were revealed during focus groups.

Keywords: Cancer Screening, Epidemiology

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered