P0406 - Assessing the Knowledge and Practice of Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Ghanaian Healthcare Providers

Emmanuel A. Agyemang, MD¹, Divine Agbor, MD², Jonathan Gmanyami, MPH³, Esther Agyemang, BSN, RN⁴, Stephen Djanie, MD⁵, Abena Ampong Ababio, BSc⁶, Malaz Abdallah, MD¹, Patrick Kwaah, MD⁷, Jose Bustillo, DO^1
1Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, NJ; ²Richmond University Medical Center, Staten island, NY; ³Global Health and Infectious Disease Group, Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana; ⁴Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ashanti, Ghana; ⁵Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, ACCRA, Greater Accra, Ghana; ⁶Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, KUMASI, Ashanti, Ghana; ⁷Yale Waterbury Hospital, Waterbury, CT

Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of global cancer mortality. Mortality rates are projected to increase by 2035 due to lifestyle and socioeconomic changes. Despite significant advances in early detection and treatment in developed countries, where screening programs such as colonoscopies and fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) have led to declines in CRC prevalence and mortality, developing countries face a different scenario. In countries like Ghana, mortality rates of CRC remain high due to late-stage diagnosis. Despite the Ghana National Cancer Steering Committee recommending FOBT for its cost-effectiveness and accessibility, implementing these guidelines remain challenging. Consequently, CRC screening uptake is low, and the disease is often diagnosed at advanced stages, leading to poorer outcomes. This study assessed the knowledge and practice of healthcare workers in Ghana regarding CRC screening to identify gaps and propose strategies to improve early detection of CRC in resource-limited settings

Methods: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional study that assessed the knowledge and practice of 198 healthcare workers in Ghana.

Results: Majority (94.4%) identified colonoscopy as their preferred method for CRC screening, despite its non-availability in many centers. Only 4.5% regularly updated their knowledge on CRC screening, and financial support (52.0%) and screening costs (65.2%) were major barriers to why most patients fail to perform CRC screening. Workshops and seminars (30.8%) were the most preferred resources needed to improve the knowledge and practice of healthcare workers on CRC screening

Discussion: The study identified significant knowledge gaps and resource limitations hindering effective colorectal cancer (CRC) screening practices among Ghanaian healthcare workers. Despite national guidelines favoring FOBT, a cost-effective and accessible option, colonoscopy, a more expensive and resource-intensive method, remained the preferred choice. Notably, many healthcare workers lacked confidence in discussing CRC screening and had limited resource in updating their knowledge on the disease and screening practices. These findings highlight the urgent need for multifaceted interventions, including educational workshops and improved access to FOBT resources, to empower healthcare workers and promote CRC screening practices in resource-limited settings like Ghana, ultimately leading to earlier diagnoses and improved patient outcomes


Disclosures:


Emmanuel A. Agyemang, MD¹, Divine Agbor, MD², Jonathan Gmanyami, MPH³, Esther Agyemang, BSN, RN⁴, Stephen Djanie, MD⁵, Abena Ampong Ababio, BSc⁶, Malaz Abdallah, MD¹, Patrick Kwaah, MD⁷, Jose Bustillo, DO¹. P0406 - Assessing the Knowledge and Practice of Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Ghanaian Healthcare Providers, ACG 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Gastroenterology.