Abstract C84: African Americans' perceived benefits and barriers to colorectal cancer screening: Differences by screening modality

Abstract

Abstract Background: Perceived benefits and barriers are key individual-level factors that play a role in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening behavior. Utilizing data harmonized from three CRC screening trials, we examine how measures of benefits and barriers by screening type (colonoscopy and fecal occult blood test (FOBT)) predict preintervention screening behaviors among African American (AA) trial participants. Methods: The data were collected in AA churches (Study 1: N=103; Study 2: N=285; Study 3: N=374) where trained lay community health advisors conducted CRC education to increase screening. Results: In Study 1, colonoscopy benefits were associated with greater odds of being adherent to CRC screening at baseline (p=.03), while colonoscopy barriers were not significant. FOBT benefits/barriers were not significantly related to screening at baseline. For Study 2, individuals who perceived more colonoscopy benefits were more likely to be adherent (p=.01), whereas those with more perceived barriers were less likely to be adherent at baseline (p=.04). FOBT benefits/barriers were not significant. In Study 3, FOBT benefits positively predicted FOBT screening behavior and barriers were negatively associated with screening (p's=.01 and .02, respectively). Colonoscopy benefits were marginally significant (p=.06) such that individuals with higher benefits were more likely to report screening, whereas perceived barriers were not related to screening. Conclusions: In the present data, perceived benefits and barriers more consistently predicted preintervention screening behavior for colonoscopy relative to FOBT. Additional study is needed to evaluate the role of benefits/barriers in CRC screening behavior in response to interventions. Citation Format: Randi M. Williams, Cheryl L. Holt. African Americans' perceived benefits and barriers to colorectal cancer screening: Differences by screening modality [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr C84.