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Community Assessment of Colorectal Cancer Screening Compliance in Northwest Louisiana

Background In the United States, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates have steadily increased. The state of Louisiana has persistent lower screening rates compared to the United States and other states, and with African Americans experiencing the highest CRC incidence rates. Aggregate national and state data can be problematic in isolating key health issues and data in rural areas. Study Purpose: At the Louisiana parish-level, which is comparable to county municipalities in other U.S. states, the research study examined endoscopy CRC screening among African American Medicare beneficiaries. Method Using cluster sampling, survey-based data from two neighboring parishes in northwest Louisiana were collected. The survey instrument was adapted from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Results The key study variables were CRC screening compliance, residence location, self-reported CRC knowledge, and physician recommendation. The findings showed significant differences in CRC screening compliance between the two parishes. Participants with CRC knowledge score of at least 3 out of 5 were more likely to be compliant with CRC screening. The findings demonstrated the importance of isolating geo-specific data, especially in rural areas, to plan effective health education or intervention strategies.