Abstract
BackgroundColorectal screening by Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (FS) is under evaluation in the UK. Evidence from existing cancer screening programmes indicates lower participation among minority ethnic groups than the white-British population. To ensure equality of access, it is important to understand attitudes towards screening in all ethnic groups so that barriers to screening acceptance can be addressed.MethodsOpen- and closed-ended questions on knowledge about colorectal cancer and attitudes to FS screening were added to Ethnibus™ – a monthly, nationwide survey of the main ethnic minority communities living in the UK (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Caribbean, African, and Chinese). Interviews (n = 875) were conducted, face-to-face, by multilingual field-workers, including 125 interviews with white-British adults.ResultsAll respondents showed a notable lack of knowledge about causes of colorectal cancer, which was more pronounced in ethnic minority than white-British adults. Interest in FS screening was uniformly high (>60%), with more than 90% of those interested saying it would provide 'peace of mind'. The most frequently cited barrier to screening 'in your community' was embarrassment, particularly among ethnic minority groups.ConclusionEducational materials should recognise that non-white groups may be less knowledgeable about colorectal cancer. The findings of the current study suggest that embarrassment may be a greater deterrent to participation to FS screening among ethnic minority groups, but this result requires exploration in further research.
Highlights
Colorectal screening by Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (FS) is under evaluation in the UK
There were no significant differences in the gender distribution across ethnic groups
White-British and Chinese respondents were distributed across the four localities while African and Bangladeshi respondents were most likely to live in London
Summary
Colorectal screening by Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (FS) is under evaluation in the UK. Evidence from existing cancer screening programmes indicates lower participation among minority ethnic groups than the white-British population. To assess the likely uptake rate of FS if offered as a service in a community setting, we recently undertook a feasibility study and found participation rates of 55% [11] This initial estimate was based on a relatively small sample (N = 510), it suggests that acceptance of FS in the UK is likely to be similar to FOBT participation. For both types of screening, these uptake rates could mask considerably lower participation among some subgroups of the population
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