Modeling pathways to affective barriers on colorectal cancer screening among Japanese Americans

The study aimed to identify the mechanisms through which colorectal cancer (CRC)-specific affective barriers, including fear of finding CRC, embarrassment, and concerns for screening discomfort, can be reduced to guide the development of interventions aimed at the secondary prevention of CRC. A model explaining these affective barriers was developed and tested among a random sample of 305 asymptomatic Japanese Americans using a path analysis. The model suggested that affective barriers could be reduced by increasing CRC-related knowledge, which could be enhanced by acculturation, social support, and physician recommendation. Interventions that focus on increasing CRC-related knowledge could reduce affective barriers to CRC screening for this population when taking the enhancement of communication skills and interpersonal interactions into account.