Physician Characteristics and Decisions Regarding Cancer Screening: A Systematic Review

The guidelines provided by experts regarding various cancer screening tests are not universally accepted by physicians or patients. This systematic review describes the literature regarding the associations of physician characteristics with the implementation of and referral of patients for selected cancer screening tests. In October 2016, the authors conducted a thorough search of articles found in 4 databases, using keywords describing physician characteristics and cancer screening. English-language articles reporting on patient surveys or records of patients' screening history, and surveys of physicians' practices or opinions, in the United States were included. The physician characteristics most commonly analyzed were specialty and sex. The screening tests most commonly analyzed were those for cervical and colorectal cancers. Female and white physicians were found to screen more patients than male and nonwhite physicians. Obstetrician-gynecologists screened more for breast and cervical cancer than internists, who screened more than family or general practitioners. Physician sex, race, and specialty were consistently associated with cancer screening practices and should be the focus of efforts to harmonize practices with recommendations.