Feinberg
Northwestern Medicine | Northwestern University | Faculty Profiles

News Center

  • Categories
    • Campus News
    • Disease Discoveries
    • Clinical Breakthroughs
    • Education News
    • Scientific Advances
  • Press Release
  • Media Coverage
  • Podcasts
  • Editor’s Picks
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Cancer
    • Neurology and Neuroscience
    • Aging and Longevity
    • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
  • News Archives
  • About Us
    • Media Contact
    • Share Your News
    • News Feeds
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
Menu
  • Categories
    • Campus News
    • Disease Discoveries
    • Clinical Breakthroughs
    • Education News
    • Scientific Advances
  • Press Release
  • Media Coverage
  • Podcasts
  • Editor’s Picks
    • COVID-19
    • Cardiology
    • Cancer
    • Neurology and Neuroscience
    • Aging and Longevity
    • Artificial Intelligence in Medicine
  • News Archives
  • About Us
    • Media Contact
    • Share Your News
    • News Feeds
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
Home » Study Illustrates Racial, Ethnic Disparities in Colon Cancer Screening
Disease Discoveries

Study Illustrates Racial, Ethnic Disparities in Colon Cancer Screening

By Roger AndersonJun 10, 2014
Share
Facebook Twitter Email
David Baker, MD, MPH, chief of Medicine-General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, left, and David Liss, PhD, MA ’08, a research assistant professor in the division, have co-authored a comprehensive study of colon cancer screening rates in America. 

 

Northwestern Medicine scientists have published what is believed to be the most complete and up-to-date picture of racial/ethnic disparities in America’s colorectal cancer screening rates.

The second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States, colorectal cancer is expected to kill more than 50,000 people this year.

“Although previous studies have demonstrated these national disparities, it was often difficult to interpret their findings,” said David Baker, MD, MPH, chief of Medicine-General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics and senior author of the study. “For example, Hispanic or Latino patients were frequently compared to a broad ‘non-Hispanic’ group comprised of a mix of whites and minorities.”

In an attempt to refine those statistics, Dr. Baker and David Liss, PhD, MA ’08, research assistant professor in Medicine-General Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, used data from the 2010 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) – a large, national survey of health risk behaviors, clinical preventive services and healthcare access. Their analysis assessed colorectal cancer screening in over 200,000 BRFSS respondents in seven racial/ethnic categories: whites, blacks/African Americans, Asians, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, American Indian/Alaska Natives, Hispanic-English speakers and Hispanic-Spanish speakers.

The findings were recently published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Among them, the screening rate for white’s (62 percent) is more than double that of Spanish-speaking Hispanics (30.6 percent). After adjustment for socioeconomic factors and access to care, the screening rate for whites remained 24 percent greater than Hispanic-Spanish speakers, and 22 percent greater than Asians.

The disparity between whites and English-speaking Hispanics was much smaller. After using statistical models to adjust for differences in income, education and insurance, Hispanic-English speakers were only 6 percent less likely to be screened.

“The study also demonstrated that colonoscopy remains the dominant screening method in the U.S., despite a lack of evidence that it has any mortality benefit when compared to other forms of colorectal cancer screening,” Liss said. “This surprising finding may be one reason for observed screening disparities, since racial/ethnic minorities are more likely to face barriers like the high cost of colonoscopy.”

“Our findings suggest, however, than even if traditionally uninsured groups gain insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act, disparities for groups such as Spanish-speaking Hispanics and Asians are likely to continue,” said Dr. Baker, the Michael A. Gertz Professor of Medicine and a member of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.

To remedy screening disparities, Baker and Liss are conducting multiple studies to maximize colorectal cancer screening at Chicago-area federally qualified health centers. This research is being conducted through Northwestern’s Center for Advancing Equity in Clinical Preventive Services, of which Dr. Baker is the principal investigator.

Dr. Baker stresses that, “Although racial/ethnic disparities in colorectal cancer screening will not be easy to eliminate, we are making important progress in identifying low-cost, practical solutions to tackling screening barriers in vulnerable populations.”

The study was funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (P01 HS021141).

Cancer Public Health
Share. Facebook Twitter Email

Related Posts

Longtime Alcohol Consumption Speeds Up Biological Aging 

Feb 3, 2023

Investigating the Connection Between Steps and Heart Disease Risk

Feb 1, 2023

Transforming the Way Cancer Vaccines are Designed and Made

Jan 30, 2023

Comments are closed.

Latest News

Longtime Alcohol Consumption Speeds Up Biological Aging 

Feb 3, 2023

Grant Provides Imaging Technology to Department of Ophthalmology

Feb 2, 2023

Gender-Affirming Hormones Improve Mental Health in Transgender and Nonbinary Youth

Feb 2, 2023

Investigating the Connection Between Steps and Heart Disease Risk

Feb 1, 2023

Medical School Faculty Named AAAS Fellows

Jan 31, 2023
  • News Center Home
  • Categories
  • Press Release
  • Media Coverage
  • Editor’s Picks
  • News Archives
  • About Us
Flickr Photos
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-24
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-16
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-14
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-5
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-6
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-10
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-8
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-18
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-23
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-25
Feinberg_In_Vivo_20221209_tcrawford-26

Northwestern University logo

Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

RSS Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Flickr YouTube Instagram
Copyright © 2023 Northwestern University
  • Contact Northwestern University
  • Disclaimer
  • Campus Emergency Information
  • Policy Statements

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.