1. Pathways to colonoscopy in the South: seeds of health disparities.
- Author
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Curbow BA, Dailey AB, King-Marshall EC, Barnett TE, Schumacher JR, Sultan S, and George TJ Jr
- Subjects
- Black or African American, Age Factors, Colonoscopy, Female, Florida epidemiology, Health Expenditures statistics & numerical data, Hispanic or Latino, Humans, Male, Referral and Consultation statistics & numerical data, Sex Factors, Socioeconomic Factors, Colorectal Neoplasms diagnosis, Colorectal Neoplasms ethnology, Early Detection of Cancer statistics & numerical data, Health Services Accessibility statistics & numerical data, Racial Groups statistics & numerical data
- Abstract
Objectives: We aimed to highlight sociodemographic differences in how patients access colonoscopy., Methods: We invited all eligible patients (n = 2500) from 2 academy-affiliated colonoscopy centers in Alachua County, Florida (1 free standing, 1 hospital based), to participate in a precolonoscopy survey (September 2011-October 2013); patients agreeing to participate (n = 1841, response rate = 73.6%) received a $5.00 gift card., Results: We found sociodemographic differences in referral pathway, costs, and reasons associated with obtaining the procedure. Patients with the ideal pathway (referred by their regular doctor for age-appropriate screening) were more likely to be Black (compared with other minorities), male, high income, employed, and older. Having the colonoscopy because of symptoms was associated with being female, younger, and having lower income. We found significant differences for 1 previously underestimated barrier, having a spouse to accompany the patient to the procedure., Conclusions: Patients' facilitators and barriers to colonoscopy differed by sociodemographics in our study, which implies that interventions based on a single facilitator will not be effective for all subgroups of a population.
- Published
- 2015
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