Abstract
Background/Aim: Colorectal cancer screening for average risk patients is recommended beginning at age 50, with screening colonoscopy every 10 years considered by many to be the gold standard for screening (USPSTF, 2008). The purpose of this study is to explore the differences in barriers to colonoscopy between men and women.
Methods: A stratified random sample of Scott & White Health Plan members was drawn—1000 50-year-old men, 1000 50-year-old women, 1000 men aged 51–80, and 1000 women aged 51–80. Sampled members received surveys by mail requesting information about colonoscopy in the past 10 years, readiness to have colonoscopy in the next six months, demographic information, time since last primary care visit and barriers to colonoscopy for those who had not had the procedure in the past 10 years. We compared barriers to colonoscopy between males versus females by the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test.
Results: Response rate was 31% (1234 of 4000). Over 35% of the sample (438/1234) reported not having a colonoscopy in the past 10 years. The most commonly reported barriers were “My regular doctor has not told me I need a colonoscopy “(42%) followed by “I do not think I need the test” (21%). Males were more likely than females to report that they did not think they needed the test (p = 0.042) and that they could not take the time off of work (p = 0.025), and that they had a bad experience with colonoscopy (p = 0.027).
Conclusions: Survey responses point to the important roles healthcare providers and approaches tailored to the barriers to specific groups can plan in intervention strategies.
- Received May 27, 2010.
- Accepted May 27, 2010.
