Portilla-Skerrett Gabriela M, Díaz-Algorri Yaritza, Soto-Salgado Marievelisse, Cruz-Correa Marcia
Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus, San Juan, PR; San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas, PR.
Master in Public Health Program, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine, Caguas, PR.
P R Health Sci J. 2019 Sep;38(3):176-180.
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cause of cancer death in Puerto Rico (PR). CRC screening rates among PR Hispanics aged ≥ 50 years (57.5%) are below the Healthy People 2020 recommendations (70.5%). Low screening rates can be attributed to lack of education, and beliefs and knowledge about CRC screening procedures. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Caribe Colon inflatable colon model in two community events as an educational tool to increase CRC knowledge, awareness, and intention to undergo CRC screening.
Participants (aged ≥ 40 years and with no previous CRC history) completed a pre- and post- questionnaire, and took the tour of the Caribe Colon.
After completing the tour, survey responses (n=154) revealed a significant increase in CRC knowledge and awareness (p<0.0001). Multivariable logistic regression models showed that fear of CRC screening procedures was the primary independent factor for not getting screened after adjusting for age, gender, education, regular visits to a primary care physician, insurance, and history of CRC screening (p=0.006).
Future studies should focus on understanding and reducing barriers to CRC screening including fear. Patients more knowledgeable about CRC screening procedures may have less fear for CRC screening. Furthermore, educational strategies need to be reinforced to reduce fear; this may lead to an increase in CRC screening rates among Hispanics.
在波多黎各（PR），结直肠癌（CRC）是癌症死亡的最常见原因。年龄≥50岁的PR西班牙裔人群的CRC筛查率（57.5%）低于《健康人民2020》的建议水平（70.5%）。筛查率低可归因于缺乏教育以及对CRC筛查程序的认知和了解。本研究评估了加勒比结肠充气模型在两次社区活动中作为一种教育工具的有效性，以增加CRC知识、意识以及接受CRC筛查的意愿。
参与者（年龄≥40岁且无既往CRC病史）完成了一份前后调查问卷，并参观了加勒比结肠模型。
参观结束后，调查回复（n = 154）显示CRC知识和意识有显著提高（p < 0.0001）。多变量逻辑回归模型显示，在调整年龄、性别、教育程度、定期就诊于初级保健医生、保险和CRC筛查史后，对CRC筛查程序的恐惧是未进行筛查的主要独立因素（p = 0.006）。
未来的研究应专注于理解和减少包括恐惧在内的CRC筛查障碍。对CRC筛查程序了解更多的患者可能对CRC筛查的恐惧更小。此外，需要加强教育策略以减少恐惧；这可能会导致西班牙裔人群的CRC筛查率上升。
