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Veterans' Continued Participation in an Annual Fecal Immunochemical Test Mailing Program for Colorectal Cancer
Jennifer A Schlichting1, Michelle A Mengeling1, Nader M Makki1
1From the VA Office of Rural Health, Rural Health Resource Center, Central Region, Iowa City, IA (JAS, MAM, AM, PJK, MEC); the Comprehensive Access and Delivery Research and Evaluation (CADRE) Center and Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (JSK), Iowa City VA Healthcare System, Iowa City, IA (JAS, MAM, AM, PJK, MEC); the Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa College of Public Health, Iowa City (JAS, BTL, MEC); the Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine (MAM, NMM, PJK), the Department of Pathology (JSK), and the Department of Family Medicine (BTL), University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City; and the Division of Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ (TRH).
Objective:
The objective of this study was to determine what proportion of veterans previously screened for colorectal cancer (CRC) using fecal immunochemical testing (FIT) would be willing to undergo a second round of FIT screening.
Methods:
Patients in the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Health Care System (<65 years old, asymptomatic, average risk, overdue for CRC screening) who completed a mailed FIT (April 2011 to May 2012) were contacted 1 year later by telephone to collect demographic and recent CRC screening information, and were offered a second mailed FIT if eligible.
Results:
Of 204 veterans who completed initial FIT testing, 159 were eligible to participate in a second round of FIT screening; 132 (83%) participated in the telephone survey, and 126 (79%) completed a second annual FIT, with 10 (8%) individuals testing positive. The majority of participants (67%) reported being more likely to take a yearly FIT than a colonoscopy every 10 years. Participants overwhelmingly reported that the FIT was easy to use and convenient (89%), and they were likely to complete a mailed FIT each year (97%).
Conclusions:
Those willing to take a mailed FIT seem satisfied with this method and willing to do it annually. Population-based or provider-based FIT mailing programs have the potential to increase CRC screening in overdue populations.
