Association Between Spanish-Language Patient Navigation and Adherence to Multi-Target Stool DNA Testing Among...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Disparities
• Cancer Screening

Background:

• Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are suboptimal in Spanish-speaking populations, often due to language barriers.
• Effective strategies are needed to improve CRC screening adherence in diverse patient groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of Spanish-language patient navigation on adherence to multi-target stool DNA (mt-sDNA) testing among Spanish-speaking patients.
• To assess the association between Spanish-language outreach (SLO) and adherence compared to English-language outreach (ELO).

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of mt-sDNA test kit data from Exact Sciences Laboratories LLC.
• Inclusion of Spanish-speaking patients aged 45-75 years who received an mt-sDNA test kit.
• Comparison of adherence rates between SLO and ELO groups using chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression.

Main Results:

• The Spanish-language outreach (SLO) group demonstrated a 4.4% absolute increase in adherence compared to the English-language outreach (ELO) group (64.3% vs. 59.9%, p=0.006).
• Higher adherence in the SLO group was observed early (30 days) and persisted throughout the 12-month follow-up.
• Adjusted logistic regression indicated SLO was associated with 20% higher odds of adherence (OR=1.20, 95% CI 1.05-1.37, p=0.007).

Conclusions:

• Spanish-language patient navigation is an effective strategy for improving adherence to mt-sDNA colorectal cancer screening.
• Culturally and linguistically tailored communication enhances screening participation in underserved populations.
• Targeted outreach interventions can help reduce health disparities in cancer screening.