Can breast and cervical cancer screening visits be used to enhance colorectal cancer screening?

ObjectivesCancer screening is a form of secondary prevention for a disease which is now the leading cause of death in France. Various socioeconomic indicators have been identified as potential factors for disparities in breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening uptake. We aimed to identify the socioeconomic inequalities, which persisted in screening uptake for these cancers, and to quantify these disparities over a 5-year period.SettingThe Cancer Barometer was a population-based-survey carried out in 2005 and 2010 in France.ParticipantsA randomly selected sample of participants aged 15–85 years (n=3820 in 2005 and n=3727 in 2010) were interviewed on their participation in breast, cervical and colorectal cancer screening-programmes and their socioeconomic profile.Primary and secondary outcome measuresFor each type of screening programme, we calculated participation rates, OR and relative inequality indices (RII) for participation, derived from logistic regression of the following socioeconomic variables: income, education, occupation, employment and health insurance. Changes in participation between 2005 and 2010 were then analysed.ResultsParticipation rates for breast and colorectal screening increased significantly among the majority of socioeconomic categories, whereas for cervical cancer screening there were no significant changes between 2005 and 2010. RIIs for income remained significant for cervical smear in 2005 (RII=0.25, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.48) and in 2010 (RII=0.31, 95% CI 0.15 to 0.64). RIIs for education in mammography (RII=0.43, 95% CI 0.19 to 0.98) and cervical smear (RII=0.36, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.64) were significant in 2005 and remained significant for cervical smear (RII=0.40, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.74) in 2010.ConclusionsThere was a persistence of socioeconomic inequalities in the uptake of opportunistic cervical cancer screening. Conversely, organised screening programmes for breast and colorectal cancer saw a reduction in relative socioeconomic inequalities, even though the results were not statistically significant. The findings suggest that organised cancer screening programmes may have the potential to reduce socioeconomic disparities in participation.

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Determinants of Population-Based Cancer Screening Performance at Primary Healthcare Institutions in China

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18063312 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 3312

Author(s):

Senshuang Zheng ◽

Xiaorui Zhang ◽

Marcel J. W. Greuter ◽

Geertruida H. de Bock ◽

Wenli Lu

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cervical Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Cervical Cancer Screening ◽

Primary Healthcare ◽

Population Based ◽

Target Number ◽

Staff Members ◽

Breast And Cervical Cancer ◽

Cancer Screenings

Background: For a decade, most population-based cancer screenings in China are performed by primary healthcare institutions. To assess the determinants of performance of primary healthcare institutions in population-based breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening in China. Methods: A total of 262 primary healthcare institutions in Tianjin participated in a survey on cancer screening. The survey consisted of questions on screening tests, the number of staff members and training, the introduction of the screening programs to residents, the invitation of residents, and the number of performed screenings per year. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the determinants of performance of an institution to fulfil the target number of screenings. Results: In 58% and 61% of the institutions between three and nine staff members were dedicated to breast and cervical cancer screening, respectively, whereas in 71% of the institutions ≥10 staff members were dedicated to colorectal cancer screening. On average 60% of institutions fulfilled the target number of breast and cervical cancer screenings, whereas 93% fulfilled the target number for colorectal cancer screening. The determinants of performance were rural districts for breast (OR = 5.16 (95%CI: 2.51–10.63)) and cervical (OR = 4.17 (95%CI: 2.14–8.11)) cancer screenings, and ≥3 staff members dedicated to cervical cancer screening (OR = 2.34 (95%CI: 1.09–5.01)). Conclusion: Primary healthcare institutions in China perform better in colorectal than in breast and cervical cancer screening, and institutions in rural districts perform better than institutions in urban districts. Increasing the number of staff members on breast and cervical cancer screening could improve the performance of population-based cancer screening.

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Canadian cancer screening disparities: a recent historical perspective

Current Oncology ◽

10.3747/co.22.2539 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 156 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

J. Kerner ◽

J. Liu ◽

K. Wang ◽

S. Fung ◽

C. Landry ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Colorectal Cancer ◽

Cervical Cancer ◽

Cancer Screening ◽

Cervical Cancer Screening ◽

Colorectal Cancer Screening ◽

Low Income ◽

Cancer Mortality ◽

Pap Test ◽

Screening Programs ◽

Screening Services

Across Canada, introduction of the Pap test for cervical cancer screening, followed by mammography for breast cancer screening and, more recently, the fecal occult blood test for colorectal cancer screening, has contributed to a reduction in cancer mortality. However, another contribution of screening has been disparities in cancer mortality between certain populations. Here, we explore the disparities associated with breast and cervical cancer screening and preliminary data concerning disparities in colorectal cancer screening.Although some disparities in screening utilization have been successfully reduced over time (for example, mammography and Pap test screening in rural and remote populations), screening utilization data for other populations (for example, low-income groups) clearly indicate that disparities have existed and continue to exist across Canada. Organized screening programs in Canada have been able to successfully engage 80% of women for regular cervical cancer screening and 70% of women for regular mammography screening, but of the women who remain to be reached or engaged in regular screening, those with the least resources, those who are the most isolated, and those who are least culturally integrated into Canadian society as a whole are overrepresented. Population differences are also observed for utilization of colorectal cancer screening services.The research literature on interventions to promote screening utilization provides some evidence about what can be done to increase participation in organized screening by vulnerable populations. Adaption and adoption of evidence-based screening promotion interventions can increase the utilization of available screening services by populations that have experienced the greatest burden of disease with the least access to screening services.

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