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Primary care physician compliance with colorectal cancer screening guidelines

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Abstract

Objective

To assess self-reported compliance to colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines among primary care physicians (PCPs) and to assess physician and practice characteristics associated with reported compliance.

Methods

Survey data from 984 PCPs in Arizona were used. Self-reported CRC screening practices, recommendations, and compliance with guidelines were assessed. Physician and practice characteristics associated with guideline compliance were also evaluated.

Results

While 77.5% of physicians reported using national screening guidelines, only 51.7% reported recommendations consistent with the guidelines. Younger physicians were significantly more likely to report compliance with screening guidelines (OR = 1.50, 95% CI = 1.07–2.10) as were female clinicians (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.11–1.92). Physicians practicing in solo (OR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.19–0.58), group (OR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.21–0.62), or community health centers (OR = 0.37, 95% CI = 0.17–0.81) were significantly less likely to report following guidelines as compared to those in academic practice. Guideline compliance was higher for fecal occult blood test (FOBT) (65.0%) than colonoscopy (56.7%); overuse of screening for these modalities was reported among 34.4% of physicians.

Conclusions

PCPs are not adequately following CRC screening guidelines. Further studies are needed to clarify the reasons for this lack of compliance, especially as guidelines become more complex.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Amit Algotar and Fang Wang for their valuable contributions. Work was supported by the Richard H. Hollen Professorship from the American Cancer Society and Public Health Service grants CA-41108 and CA-23074 and Cancer Center Support Grant (CCSG) CA 023074 from the National Cancer Institute.

Conflicts of interest

None.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, PO Box 245024, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Jesse N. Nodora, Erin L. Ashbeck, Elizabeth T. Jacobs, Patricia A. Thompson & María Elena Martínez

  2. Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Jesse N. Nodora

  3. University Physicians Healthcare, Tucson, AZ, USA

    William D. Martz

  4. Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Elizabeth T. Jacobs & María Elena Martínez

  5. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA

    Patricia A. Thompson

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  1. Jesse N. Nodora
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  2. William D. Martz
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  3. Erin L. Ashbeck
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  4. Elizabeth T. Jacobs
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  5. Patricia A. Thompson
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Correspondence to Jesse N. Nodora.

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Nodora, J.N., Martz, W.D., Ashbeck, E.L. et al. Primary care physician compliance with colorectal cancer screening guidelines. Cancer Causes Control 22, 1277–1287 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-011-9801-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-011-9801-0

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