The use of detailed and explicit appropriateness criteria for colonoscopy significantly enhances the identification of relevant lesions and in particular of colon cancer. The use of such criteria could therefore improve patient selection for colonoscopy and thus contribute to efforts aimed at enhancing the quality and efficiency of care.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates remain low in the United States. The effect of health insurance on CRC screening is not clear. We assessed the association between having health insurance and being screened for CRC and the factors that modify this association. Methods: We used data from the 2005 Virginia Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to evaluate the association of self-reported insurance coverage on selfreported CRC screening among all men and women ages z50 years (N = 2,887). Prevalence odds ratios (POR) were estimated using unconditional logistic regression. All covariates were assessed for potential effect measure modification and confounding. All analyses accounted for the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System complex survey sampling design. Results: Overall, participants who reported having insurance coverage were more than twice as likely to

This article presents a literature review on lower abdominal pain and change in bowel habits, that was provided to the panelists to study and comment prior to the panel meeting to support their ratings of appropriateness of use of colo noscopy. This article furthermore presents an overview of the main panel results related to abdominal pain and change in bowel habits (mainly constipation) and a sum mary of published evidence and panel-based appropriate ness criteria.

Acute LGI bleeding occurs less frequently than UGI bleed ing, although its true incidence is not known [3]. Acute LGI bleeding is mainly a problem of the elderly, the aver age patient age being approximately 65 years [5]. Etiology of Acute LGI Bleeding Although acute LGI bleeding usually arises from an LGI source, approximately 11 % of patients are found to have an UGI origin [6].

No abstract