BACKGROUND

Individuals with different mental disorders tend to experience higher rates of colorectal cancer (CRC)-related mortality compared to the general population. Discrepancies in CRC screening behaviors have been suggested as a potential contributing factor to this difference in mortality. However, existing evidence on this topic has been inconclusive and conflicting.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the relationship between mental health status (specifically, depression and/or anxiety) and the uptake of CRC screening. To achieve this, a larger and nationally representative sample from the adult population of the United States was utilized.

METHODS

We employed a cross-sectional approach using data from the 2019-2020 edition of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS). The study examined disparities in CRC screening between individuals with self-reported history of depression diagnosis and the general population. Chi-square tests were used for analysis. Multivariable logistic regression models were applied to adjust for variables such as gender, age, education level, race, comorbidities, healthcare access, smoking status, household income, geographical residence, and insurance status. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported.

RESULTS

The findings of the study indicated that out of 5,398 eligible individuals, approximately 1,220 (weighted percentage: 22.8%) reported experiencing depression and/or anxiety, and approximately 4,154 (weighted percentage: 68.9%) reported adherence to colorectal cancer screening. In the bivariate analysis, there was no significant difference in participation in colorectal cancer screening between individuals with and without depression and/or anxiety (72.0% vs. 68.0%). Similarly, after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related factors, the study found that the odds of participating in colorectal cancer screening did not vary based on an individual's depression status (OR 1.34, 95% CI 0.94-1.91, P = 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Individuals with depression participate in colorectal cancer screening at comparable rates to the general population. The findings of this study suggest that factors beyond CRC screening may play significant roles in the higher CRC-associated mortality rate. Therefore, further research is needed to uncover the various mechanisms contributing to the increased cancer-related mortality rates among susceptible populations.