P3834 - Community Speaks: Engagement of Community Members Is an Important Component to Increasing Colon Cancer Screening Awareness

Ivan Berezowski, MD¹, Reid Schalet, DO¹, Ankit Patel, MD², Jacob Newman, DO¹, Valeria Martinez Lebron, MD³, Zeina Bani Hani, MBBS¹, Junseo Lee, MD³, Carol Gergis, MD, MS¹, Jehan El-Bayoumi, MD⁴, Samuel A.. Schueler, MD¹, Marie L.. Borum, MD, MPH, FACG^1
1George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC; ²The George Washington University, Washington, DC; ³George Washington University Hospital, Washington, DC; ⁴Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC

Introduction: Colorectal cancer causes significant morbidity and mortality in African-Americans (AA). A multifaceted approach to enhance screening is necessary to improve outcomes. Community involvement in developing strategies to increase colon cancer awareness is necessary. This bidirectional learning focus group study involving health care learners (HCL) and community church members (CCM) evaluated proposed tactics to increase colon cancer screening.

Methods: A focus group of university HCL and AA CCM was conducted to propose strategies to increase colon cancer awareness. HCL were medical students and resident physicians. A pre-focus group survey was performed to determine colon cancer screening knowledge and strategies to enhance community awareness. The subsequent focus group discussion was transcribed. Survey and discussion strategies were thematically categorized. Quantitative analysis of the survey and discussion was performed using Fisher Exact test with significance set at p< 0.05.

Results: The focus group consisted of 8 HCL (8 non-AA; 5 male, 3 female; age range 26-36) and 7 AA CCM (7 AA; 2 males, 5 females; age range 57-84). The pre-focus group survey revealed that all participants were aware of colon cancer screening guidelines. There was no significant difference in the rate at which advertisements / posters, television and radio public service announcements, use of internet / social media, text messaging, testimonial presentations, and health fairs were proposed by HCL and CCM. HCL more frequently proposed improved in-office patient discussion (p=0.002) and providing increased written information (p=0.0406). CCM more frequently proposed non-medical center based seminars (p=0.0256), facilitation of peer-to-peer discussions (p=0.0101), gender and generational based outreach (p=0.0070).

Discussion: Community involvement can be an important component to promoting colon cancer awareness. There have been limited studies utilizing bidirectional learning focus groups involving HCL and CCM that have addressed strategies to improve colon cancer screening. This study confirmed that a multifaceted approach is necessary to increase colon cancer awareness. However, there were important differences in strategy proposals by HCL and CCM. It is critical that community perspectives be included in the development of colon cancer screening programs. These results can serve as a foundation for additional research and development of colon cancer awareness programs.


Disclosures:


Ivan Berezowski, MD¹, Reid Schalet, DO¹, Ankit Patel, MD², Jacob Newman, DO¹, Valeria Martinez Lebron, MD³, Zeina Bani Hani, MBBS¹, Junseo Lee, MD³, Carol Gergis, MD, MS¹, Jehan El-Bayoumi, MD⁴, Samuel A.. Schueler, MD¹, Marie L.. Borum, MD, MPH, FACG¹. P3834 - Community Speaks: Engagement of Community Members Is an Important Component to Increasing Colon Cancer Screening Awareness, ACG 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting Abstracts. Philadelphia, PA: American College of Gastroenterology.