To do or not to do – a survey study on factors associated with participating in the Danish screening program for colorectal cancer

Abstract

Background Screening programs for colorectal cancer (CRC) exist in many countries, and with varying participation rates. The present study aimed at identifying socio-demographic factors for accepting a cost-free screening offer for CRC in Denmark, and to study if more people would accept the screening offer if the present fecal test was replaced by a blood test. Methods We used a cross-sectional survey design based on a representative group of 6807 Danish citizens aged 50–80 years returning a fully answered web-based questionnaire with socio-demographic data added from national registries. Data were analyzed in STATA and based on bivariate analyses followed by regression models. Results Danes in general have a high level of lifetime participation (+ 80%) in the national CRC screening program. The results of the stepwise logistic regression model to predict CRC screening participation demonstrated that female gender, higher age, higher income, and moderate alcohol intake were positively associated with screening participation, whereas a negative association was observed for higher educational attainment, obesity, being a smoker, and higher willingness to take health risks. Of the 1026 respondents not accepting the screening offer, 61% were willing to reconsider their initial negative response if the fecal sampling procedure were replaced by blood sampling. Conclusion The CRC screening program intends to include the entire population within a certain at-risk age group. However, individual factors (e.g. sex, age obesity, smoking, risk aversity) appear to significantly affect willingness to participate in the screening program. From a preventive perspective, our findings indicate the need for a more targeted approach trying to reach these groups.

Readiness to Accept Genetic Testing for Personalized Medicine: Survey Findings on the Role of Socio-Demographic Characteristics, Health Vulnerabilities, Perceived Genetic Risk and Personality Factors

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The association between the body roundness index and the risk of colorectal cancer: a cross-sectional study

“…Research shows that obesity affects the likelihood of CRC screening discontinuation [ 38 ]. A Dutch survey also found that obesity was related to an obvious reduction in screening for CRC (OR: 0.8, 0.66–0.97) [ 39 , 40 ]. This is unclear for why obese people have a lower adherence to CRC screening recommendations.…”

AI and Clinical Decision Making: The Limitations and Risks of Computational Reductionism in Bowel Cancer Screening

“…Several international qualitative studies [132][133][134][135][136][137][138] have concluded that there are numerous psycho-social and cultural factors that interact and accumulate to impact on a patient's willingness to participate in CRC screening. Barriers include low awareness and a misunderstanding of the medical guidelines around the need for CRC screening and/or believing that screening was only required in the presence of symptoms, which is exacerbated by a lower perception of risk associated with bowel cancer compared with other more high-profile cancers [139].…”