Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama: a Comparison among Three Types of CRC Screening

Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama: a Comparison among Three Types of CRC Screening Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice Volume 16 Issue 1 Article 4 © Center for Health Disparities Research, School of Public Health, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 2023 Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama: a Comparison among Three Types of CRC Screening Hee Yun Lee , The University of Alabama, Yan Luo , The University of Alabama, Chiahung Chou , Auburn University, See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp Part of the Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Health and Physical Education Commons, and the Public Health Education and Promotion Commons Recommended Citation Lee, Hee Yun; Luo, Yan; Chou, Chiahung; Lee, Mi Hwa; and Bennett, Marion (2023) "Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama: a Comparison among Three Types of CRC Screening," Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice: Vol. 16: Iss. 1, Article 4. Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp/vol16/iss1/4 This Article is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Article in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This Article has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice by an authorized administrator of Digital Scholarship@UNLV. For more information, please contact . Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama: a Comparison among Three Types of CRC Screening Abstract Objective: The present study aims to assess the levels of awareness of three types of CRC screening tests (FIT or FBOT, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy) among African Americans living in the Black Belt area, and examine the factors associated with awareness of CRC screening tests among this population. Methods: The current study utilized a survey research design. Univariate analysis was used to assess the awareness of three types of colorectal cancer screening: FIT or FOBT, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy. Three sets of logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the factors associated with the awareness level of each of the three colorectal cancer screening types among study participants. Results: More than half of study participants heard of FOBT/FIT. Only one third of participants heard of sigmoidoscopy. The majority of study participants heard of colonoscopy. Participation in socializing groups was found to be positively associated with awareness of all three types of CRC screening. Employment and having a primary care physician were positively associated with FOBT/FIT and colonoscopy. Study participants with a primary care physician demonstrated awareness of FOBT/FIT and colonoscopy Conclusion: Health education on different types of CRC screening especially FOBT/FIT and sigmoidoscopy is needed for the study population. CRC screening awareness among rural African Americans is likely to be improved by removing barriers of accessing primary physicians or other healthcare resources. Health education intervention in community setting or socializing groups such as clubs or religious group can potentially improve awareness of CRC screening. Keywords Colorectal cancer screening; African American; Black Belt region; participation in socializing group; primary care physician Authors Hee Yun Lee, Yan Luo, Chiahung Chou, Mi Hwa Lee, and Marion Bennett This article is available in Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/ jhdrp/vol16/iss1/4 51 Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama Lee, et al. Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice Volume 16, Issue 1, Spring 2023, pp. 51-64 © School of Nursing University of Nevada, Las Vegas Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama: A Comparison among Three Types of Colorectal Cancer Screening Hee Yun Lee, The University of Alabama Yan Luo, University of Hawaii Chiahung Chou, Auburn University Mi Hwa Lee, East Carolina University Marion Bennett, University of Arkansas *Corresponding Author: Yan Luo, ABSTRACT Objective: The present study aims to assess the levels of awareness of three types of CRC screening tests (FIT or FBOT, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy) among African Americans living in the Black Belt area, and examine the factors associated with awareness of CRC screening tests among this population. Methods: The current study utilized a survey research design. Univariate analysis was used to assess the awareness of three types of colorectal cancer screening: FIT or FOBT, sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy. Three sets of logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the factors associated with the awareness level of each of the three colorectal cancer screening types among study participants. Results: More than half of study participants heard of FOBT/FIT. Only one third of participants heard of sigmoidoscopy. The majority of study participants heard of colonoscopy. Participation in socializing groups was found to be positively associated with awareness of all three types of CRC screening. Employment and having a primary care physician were positively associated with FOBT/FIT and colonoscopy. Study participants with a primary care physician demonstrated awareness of FOBT/FIT and colonoscopy Conclusion: Health education on different types of CRC screening especially FOBT/FIT and sigmoidoscopy is needed for the study population. CRC screening awareness among rural African Americans is likely to be improved by removing barriers of accessing primary physicians or other healthcare resources. Health education intervention in community setting or socializing groups such as clubs or religious group can potentially improve awareness of CRC screening. Keywords: Colorectal cancer screening; African American; Black Belt region; participation in socializing group; primary care physician Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice Volume 16, Issue 1, Spring 2023 http://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/jhdrp/ Follow on Facebook: Health.Disparities.Journal Follow on Twitter: @jhdrp 52 Associated Factors with Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness in the Black Belt Region of Alabama Lee, et al. INTRODUCTION Colorectal cancer (CRC) has been recognized a (...truncated)