Breaking Barriers: Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates
PA Antequera talks about the biggest barriers preventing patients from completing colorectal cancer screening—and what providers can do to address them. She highlights that lack of provider recommendation is the top reason patients go unscreened, emphasizing the power of direct, encouraging conversations.
PA Antequera also explores common concerns such as fear, finances, logistics, and discomfort, and shares practical strategies to navigate those barriers. She reminds PAs that while some challenges are systemic, improving our own awareness, confidence, and advocacy can make a real difference in screening rates and patient outcomes.
Key Takeaways:
- For patients who have never been screened for CRC, the number one reason is lack of provider recommendation.
- Asking patients about their barriers allows us to specifically address their concerns in order to move toward screening.
- Provider and patient discussions, patient navigators, and reducing structural barriers have been shown to increase screening rates.
Speaker
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References and Additional Resources:
Knight JR, Kanotra S, Siameh S, Jones J, Thompson B, Thomas-Cox S. Understanding barriers to colorectal cancer screening in Kentucky. Prev Chronic Dis. 2015;12(140586):E95. doi:10.5888/pcd12.140586
Kotzur M, Macdonald S, O’Carroll RE, et al. What are common barriers and helpful solutions to colorectal cancer screening? A cross-sectional survey to develop intervention content for a planning support tool. BMJ Open. 2022;12(9):e062738. doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2022-062738
Muliira JK, D’Souza MS. Effectiveness of patient navigator interventions on uptake of colorectal cancer screening in primary care settings: Patient navigation and CRC screening. Jpn J Nurs Sci. 2016;13(2):205-219. doi:10.1111/jjns.12102
Muthukrishnan M, Arnold LD, James AS. Patients’ self-reported barriers to colon cancer screening in federally qualified health center settings. Prev Med Rep. 2019;15(100896):100896. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2019.100896
Samuel G, Kratzer M, Asagbra O, et al. Facilitators and barriers to colorectal cancer screening in an outpatient setting. World J Clin Cases. 2021;9(21):5850-5859. doi:10.12998/wjcc.v9.i21.5850
Shaukat A, Kahi CJ, Burke CA, Rabeneck L, Sauer BG, Rex DK. ACG clinical guidelines: Colorectal cancer screening 2021. Am J Gastroenterol. 2021;116(3):458-479. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001122
Zhu X, Parks PD, Weiser E, Jacobson DJ, Limburg PJ, Finney Rutten LJ. Barriers to utilization of three colorectal cancer screening options – Data from a national survey. Prev Med Rep. 2021;24(101508):101508. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101508
Zhu X, Weiser E, Jacobson DJ, Griffin JM, Limburg PJ, Finney Rutten LJ. Provider-perceived barriers to patient adherence to colorectal cancer screening. Prev Med Rep. 2022;25(101681):101681. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2021.101681
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