Diagnostic resolution of cancer screening abnormalities at community health centers

Few studies have examined timeliness of diagnostic evaluation of abnormal cancer screening tests in community health centers.

Using medical record review, timeliness of diagnosis was assessed among 317 people having either breast or colorectal-related abnormalities.

For 241 subjects (76.0%) who reached clinical resolution, the median time to diagnostic resolution was 37 days. People with breast abnormalities had more than twice the odds (adjusted odds ratio: 2.84) of reaching diagnostic resolution within 180 days compared with patients with colorectal abnormalities. We found, however, no evidence of disparate outcomes according to patient race/ethnicity, insurance status, or spoken language.

Diagnostic evaluations are often either not completed or are delayed after a cancer-related abnormality is discovered. Further research is needed to understand the patient, provider, and health care system factors that contribute to these delays. There was no evidence of cancer disparities in the community health centers studied.