Journal
JOURNAL OF URBAN HEALTH-BULLETIN OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF MEDICINE
Volume 82, Issue 2, Pages 216-224Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1093/jurban/jti046
Keywords
colorectal cancer screening; fecal occult blood test; flexible sigmoidoscopy; urban health
Funding
- NCI NIH HHS [U01-CA86107-10] Funding Source: Medline
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Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Racial disparities in CRC incidence and mortality have been well documented. In addition, lower rates of CRC screening among ethnic minorities have been reported. Therefore, we tested the effectiveness of a patient navigator (PN) in increasing compliance with CRC screening in a minority community health setting. Men and women aged 50 or older attending a primary care practice were enrolled if they had not bad a fecal occult blood test within the past year, a sigmoidoscopy or barium enema within the past 3-5 years, or a colonoscopy within the past 10 years. Participants were randomly assigned either to receive navigator services (PN+) or not to receive navigator services (PN-). There were no demographic differences between the two groups. Within 6 months of physician recommendation, 15.8% in the PN+ group bad complied with an endoscopic examination, compared with only 5% in the PN- group (P = .019). The PN+ group also demonstrated higher rates of fecal occult blood test completion (42.1% vs. 25%, P = .086). Thus, a PN system successfully increases CRC screening rates among a predominantly minority Population of low socioeconomic status.
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