Document Type

Article

Abstract

Background - When performed competently, colonoscopy screening can reduce colorectal cancer rates, especially in high-risk groups such as African Americans (AAs). Training primary care physicians (PCPs) to perform colonoscopy may improve screening rates among underserved high-risk populations.

Methods - We compared colonoscopy screening rates and computed adjusted odds ratios for colonoscopy-eligible patients of trained AA PCPs (study group) vs. untrained PCPs (comparison group), before and since initiating colonoscopy training. All colonoscopies were performed at a licensed ambulatory surgery center with specialist standby support. Retrospective chart review was conducted on 200 consecutive, established outpatients aged ≥50 years at each of 12 PCP offices (7 trained AA PCPs and 5 untrained PCPs, practicing in the same region), total 1,244 study group and 923 comparison group patients.

Results - Post-training colonoscopy rates in both groups were higher than pre-training rates: 48.3% vs. 9.3% in the study group, 29.6% vs. 9.8% in the comparison group (both p<0.001). AA patients in the study group showed over 5-fold increase (8.9% pre-training vs. 52.8% post training), with no change among Whites (18.2% vs. 25.0%). Corresponding pre- and post-training rates among comparison patients were 10.4% and 38.7% respectively among AAs (p<0.001), and 13.3% vs. 13.2% respectively among Whites. After adjusting for demographics, duration since becoming the PCP's patient, and health insurance, the study group had a 66% higher likelihood of colonoscopy in the post-training period (OR=1.66; CI, 1.30, 2.13), and AAs had a five-fold increased likelihood of colonoscopy relative to Whites.

Conclusions - Colonoscopy-trained PCPs may help reduce colorectal cancer disparities.

Rights

Xirasagar, S., Hurley, T.G., Burch, J.B., Mansaray, A., & Hébert, J.R. (2011). Colonoscopy screening rates among patients of colonoscopy-trained African American primary care physicians. Cancer, 117(22), 5151-5160.

DOI: 10.1002/cncr.26142

© Cancer, 2011, Wiley-Blackwell

The definitive version is available at:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.26142/abstract

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