Determinants of Population-Based Cancer Screening Performance at Primary Healthcare Institutions in China

For a decade, most population-based cancer screenings in China are performed by primary healthcare institutions. To assess the determinants of performance of primary healthcare institutions in population-based breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening in China.

A total of 262 primary healthcare institutions in Tianjin participated in a survey on cancer screening. The survey consisted of questions on screening tests, the number of staff members and training, the introduction of the screening programs to residents, the invitation of residents, and the number of performed screenings per year. Logistic regression models were used to analyze the determinants of performance of an institution to fulfil the target number of screenings.

In 58% and 61% of the institutions between three and nine staff members were dedicated to breast and cervical cancer screening, respectively, whereas in 71% of the institutions ≥10 staff members were dedicated to colorectal cancer screening. On average 60% of institutions fulfilled the target number of breast and cervical cancer screenings, whereas 93% fulfilled the target number for colorectal cancer screening. The determinants of performance were rural districts for breast (OR = 5.16 (95%CI: 2.51-10.63)) and cervical (OR = 4.17 (95%CI: 2.14-8.11)) cancer screenings, and ≥3 staff members dedicated to cervical cancer screening (OR = 2.34 (95%CI: 1.09-5.01)).

Primary healthcare institutions in China perform better in colorectal than in breast and cervical cancer screening, and institutions in rural districts perform better than institutions in urban districts. Increasing the number of staff members on breast and cervical cancer screening could improve the performance of population-based cancer screening.