News Finding: Colon cancer screening rates remain suboptimal, despite decades of public health campaigns, public reporting on screening rates, and preventive service reminders in electronic health records, the researchers said, prompting a growing number of private and public health systems to promote options that do not require a face-to-face primary care visit.
Paper Finding: The study population was also diverse with regard to sex, race, ethnicity, and insurance coverage, and cared for in four geographically and administratively distinct regional delivery systems.
News Context: Individuals don't have to come in to see a doctor to get a cancer screening test done or followed up. Colon cancer screening rates remain suboptimal, despite decades of public health campaigns, public reporting on screening rates, and preventive service reminders in electronic health records, the researchers said, prompting a growing number of private and public health systems to promote options that do not require a face-to-face primary care visit. The FIT and FOBT tests are inexpensive, easy to mail, and simple for patients to complete.
Paper Context: The diversity and size of our study population is also a strength. The study population was also diverse with regard to sex, race, ethnicity, and insurance coverage, and cared for in four geographically and administratively distinct regional delivery systems. The associations we report were robust after controlling for the likelihood of having a PCP visit, as well as in secondary analyses that adjusted for other patient factors known to influence screening and primary care utilization such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, education, and insurance.