Screening for Barrett's Esophagus: Results from a Population-Based Survey

Screening for Barrett's esophagus (BE) and adenocarcinoma (EAC) is controversial, but interest remains in finding the optimal method. Attitudes on screening within the community are unknown. We aimed to assess these attitudes via a survey. A mixed-mode survey was conducted in adults > 50 years to assess awareness regarding BE, willingness to participate in screening, and preferences regarding method of screening. Methods evaluated were sedated endoscopy (sEGD), unsedated transnasal endoscopy (uTNE) and video capsule (VCE). A total of 136 from 413 (33 %) adults responded [47 % males, mean (SD) age 63 (10.2) years], and 26 % of responders knew of BE at baseline. After reading the information on BE, 72 % were interested in screening. A history of undergoing screening tests and GI symptoms were predictive of interest. Unsedated techniques were preferred by 64 % (VCE: 56 % and uTNE: 8 %) versus sEGD (36 %). The majority of adults were willing to undergo screening for BE/EAC, with a preference for unsedated techniques.