Workplace colorectal cancer-screening awareness programs: an adjunct to primary care practice?

J Community Health. 2007 Jun;32(3):157-67. doi: 10.1007/s10900-006-9042-4.

Abstract

Although regular screening can decrease morbidity and mortality from colorectal cancer, screening rates nationwide are suboptimal due to a lack of organized screening programs. Since workplace colorectal cancer-awareness programs can potentially mitigate both patient and physician barriers to screening, we assessed the workplace as a venue for implementing a colorectal cancer screening-awareness program. In this cross-sectional study, 3756 members of the Toronto Police Service attended an education session about colorectal cancer; 965 of these members gave their informed consent and completed a 5-item colorectal cancer risk-assessment questionnaire. Nearly one-third (30.9%, or 298/965) of this relatively young population (83.1%, or 802/965, < 50 years of age) were at average or above-average risk for colorectal cancer. In the Toronto Police Service population, the workplace was a useful adjunct to reliance on primary care physicians to raise awareness about this important public health issue. These findings should encourage the development of further Canadian workplace colorectal cancer-screening awareness programs.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / diagnosis
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / prevention & control*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Health Education / methods*
  • Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mass Screening / statistics & numerical data*
  • Middle Aged
  • Occupational Health Services*
  • Ontario / epidemiology
  • Patient Acceptance of Health Care
  • Police
  • Prevalence
  • Primary Health Care*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Surveys and Questionnaires