Mailing full screening kits for Colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer, the most treatable and preventable diseases. It is third most common type of cancer in the United States, and the second leading cause of cancer death. The disease screening rates continue to lag, especially among high-risk populations. Now, a research team found mailing full screening kits to individuals may improve rates when compared to the usual practice of mailing simple reminders.
Researchers from UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center and Mecklenburg County Health together examined the impact of targeted outreach to more than 2,100 people insured by Medicaid who were not up-to-date with colorectal cancer screening.
Kits screening rates
However, the results indicate nearly 9% increase in screening rates for patients who received a screening kit in the mail. While colorectal cancer screening has proven effective in reducing cancer deaths.
Researcher Alison Brenner from UNC Lineberger, said, there has been a national push to increase colorectal cancer screening rates since colorectal cancer is a preventable disease, but screening rates are only about 63 percent, and low-income, and otherwise vulnerable populations, tend to be screened at even lower rates.
For the project, researchers mailed reminders about colorectal cancer screening and guidelines on how to arrange one with the health department, or reminders plus a fecal immuno chemical test, or FIT kit, which can detect blood in the stool. The patient completes the test at home and returns it to a provider for analysis. Patients who have a positive FIT kit result will scheduled for a colonoscopy.
As per researchers, around 21% of patients completed the screening test, compared with 12% of patients who received a reminder. 18 people had abnormal results, and 15 are eligible for a colonoscopy.
With this success, researchers going forward to study whether they can execute their approach on a bigger scale, and to see all the cost suggestions.
https://spinonews.com/2018/07/17/researchers-found-mailing-full-screening-kits-for-colorectal-cancer/