PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Navkiran K. Shokar AU - Carol A. Carlson AU - Susan C. Weller TI - Factors Associated with Racial/Ethnic Differences in Colorectal Cancer Screening AID - 10.3122/jabfm.2008.05.070266 DP - 2008 Sep 01 TA - The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine PG - 414--426 VI - 21 IP - 5 4099 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/21/5/414.short 4100 - http://www.jabfm.org/content/21/5/414.full SO - J Am Board Fam Med2008 Sep 01; 21 AB - Introduction: Racial/ethnic differences in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are thought to account, in part, for the racial/ethnic differences in CRC disease burden. The purpose of this study was to examine which factors mediate racial/ethnic differences in CRC screening.Methods: Five hundred sixty participants attending a primary care clinic, aged 50 to 80 years, and of African-American, Hispanic, or non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity were interviewed. The goal was to assess the contribution of sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, beliefs about CRC, and the health care experience with their primary care doctor to racial/ethnic differences in CRC screening. The outcome variable was self-reported screening. All analyses were weighted; bivariate testing and multivariate logistic regression was conducted.Results: The response rate was 55.7%, with no sociodemographic differences noted between respondents and nonrespondents. Respondents were African-American (n = 194), Hispanic (n = 162), and non-Hispanic white (n = 204); 64.5% were aged 50 to 64 years; 63.1% were women; 96.9% were insured; and over half reported a total annual income of less than $25,000. Overall 62.5% were current with CRC screening: 67.5% of non-Hispanic whites, 54.3% of African-Americans, and 48.6% of Hispanics (P < .001). A doctor's recommendation (odds ratio, 3.86); awareness of screening (odds ratio, 3.32); older age (odds ratio, 2.88); greater education (odds ratio, 2.02); and perceived susceptibility (odds ratio, 1.74) contributed to racial/ethnic differences in CRC screening.Conclusions: Interventions to address CRC screening disparities among racial/ethnic groups should focus on the health care setting and patient education about CRC screening; differences in attitudes and beliefs seem to be less important.