Internal Medicine
Return to Library
|
Free Internal Medicine Articles |
|
|
|
|
Study results from K.E. Lasser et al provide new insights into colon cancer
2009 AUG 24 - (NewsRx.com) -- "Colorectal cancer screening rates are low among poor and disadvantaged patients. navigation has been shown to increase breast and cervical cancer screening rates, but few studies have looked at the potential of patient navigation to increase colorectal cancer screening rates," researchers in the United States report. "The objective was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a patient navigator-based intervention to increase colorectal cancer screening rates in community health centers. at the intervention health center who had not been screened for colorectal cancer and were designated as ''appropriate for outreach'' by their primary care providers received a letter from their provider about the need to be screened and a brochure about colorectal cancer screening. navigators then called patients to discuss screening and to assist patients in obtaining screening. at a demographically similar control health center received usual care. Thirty-one percent of intervention patients were screened at six months, versus nine percent of control patients (p < .001). A patient navigator-based intervention, in combination with a letter from the patient's primary care provider, was associated with an increased rate of colorectal cancer screening at one health center as compared to a demographically similar control health center," wrote K.E. Lasser and colleagues. The researchers concluded: "Our study adds to an emerging literature supporting the use of patient navigators to increase colorectal cancer screening in diverse populations served by urban health centers.." Lasser and colleagues published their study in BMC Family Practice (A multilevel intervention to promote colorectal cancer screening among community health center patients: results of a pilot study. BMC Family Practice, 2009;10():37). For additional information, contact K.E. Lasser, Boston Med Center, General Internal Medicine Sect, Boston, MA, USA. Publisher contact information for the journal BMC Family Practice is: Biomedical Central Ltd., Current Science Group, Middlesex House, 34-42 Cleveland St., London W1T 4LB, England. Keywords: United States, Boston, Cervical Cancer, Cervical Carcinoma, Colon Cancer, Colon Carcinoma, Colorectal, Community Health, Gastroenterology, Oncology, Women's Health. This article was prepared by Clinical Oncology Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Clinical Oncology Week via NewsRx.com.
|
