226860 Physician awareness and use of national cancer information resources

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 : 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM

Lila Finney Rutten, PhD, MPH , Clinical Monitoring Research Program, National Cancer Institute, SAIC-Fredrick, Inc., Bethesda, MD
Kia Davis, MPH , Health Communications Research Branch, SAIC-Frederick, Inc., Bethesda, MD
Linda Squiers, PhD , Research Triangle Institute, Rockville, MD
Erik Augustson, PhD, MPH , Tobacco Control Research Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD
     
Background: National information resources provide accurate, scientifically-vetted information about cancer prevention, screening, and treatment. We examined primary care physicians' awareness of, and referral to cancer information resources by physician, practice, and patient characteristics.

Methods: Data were from the National Survey of Primary Care Physicians' Recommendations and Practice for Breast, Cervical, Colorectal, and Lung Cancer Screening (n=1174).

Results: Only 6.2% of physicians reported awareness and referral to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) 1-800-4CANCER information line; 14.1% were aware and made referral to the NCI website (www.cancer.gov); 23.1% were aware and made referral to the Centers for Disease Control website (www.cdc.gov). Less than one third of physicians (27.8%) were aware and referred patients to at least one resource; 37% of physicians reported awareness and no referral; 34.9% were not aware of any resource. Factors associated with awareness and referral included medical practice type, number of patients served, percentage of uninsured patients, percentage of patients aged 65+, and amount of time physicians spent in administrative duties and teaching. Only practice type remained significantly associated with awareness and referral in a multinomial regression. Compared with physicians in university settings, those in physician-owned practices were less likely to be aware and refer (OR=.52), and less likely to report awareness and no referral (OR=.47). Compared with physicians in university settings, those practicing in a healthcare system, were less likely to report awareness and no referral (OR=.47).

Conclusions: Efforts to raise awareness of cancer information resources among physicians are encouraged.

Learning Areas:
Communication and informatics
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related education
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
1. Describe awareness of national cancer information resources among primary care physicians in the U.S. 2. Describe referral practices to national cancer information resources among primary care physicians in the U.S. 3. Differentiate awareness and referral to national cancer information resources among primary care physicians in the U.S. by physician, practice, and patient characteristics.

Keywords: Cancer, Health Information

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I manage a national survey related to health communication and the influence of relevant constructs on cancer related behavior and outcomes.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 5076.0: Cancer communication, prevention, and control