According to a study by Northwestern University researchers, fewer than 9 out of 10 low-income, medically underserved minority patients at risk for colorectal cancer receive a recommendation for colorectal cancer screening by physicians at government-supported community health centers.

The study, led by Michael Wolf (assistant professor of medicine, Institute for Healthcare Studies, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine) was published in the February issue of the Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved.

The team wanted to determine the prevalence of physician recommendation and subsequent patient completion of colorectal screening tests receiving care at 31 inner-city Federally Qualified Health Centers in the United States (community health centers).These are government-supported clinics that are required to provide services to patients regardless of insurance status.

Underuse of recommended screening tests and/or delays in obtaining proper care among African American and Hispanic adults may be due in greater part to healthcare provider- or system-level barriers rather than characteristics of the individual patients.

Source: [EurekAlert.com]