The Factors Affecting the Screening of New Colorectal Cancer Cases Between 2020 and 2022 in Isfahan Province

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common neoplasms in Iran. The objectives of this study were to determine the factors affecting the screening of new colon cancer cases in Isfahan province.

This present study is a cross-sectional study that was conducted within the framework of the Cardio Vascular Events in Breast and Colorectal Cancers (CIBC) study. CIBC is a multicenter prospective cohort study of newly diagnosed BC and CRC patients that has been started in Iran since 2019 and will be continued until 2024. In this study, all patients who were diagnosed with CRC were considered between January 2020 and January 2022. Information was collected through a questionnaire.

In total, 78 cases in our study had colon cancer, and 69 had rectal cancer. The majority of patients in our study were between ages of 45-75 (74.4%), married (97%), educated (77%), urban-based (89.4%), nonsmoker (79.5%) and nondrinker (97%), had insurance coverage (96.3%) and had normal levels of depression (52.5%), anxiety (54.4%) and stress (77.5%). Higher age (P = 0.034), higher anxiety score (P = 0.00) and history of colorectal surgery (P = 0.018) was associated with higher rates of screening behaviors especially colonoscopy.

Understanding the importance of CRC screening is critical to improve population health. According to the results, higher age, higher anxiety, and a history of colorectal surgery were the main factors affecting participation in the CRC screening programs.