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98 RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PATIENT PSYCHOSOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND RECEIPT OF PHYSICIAN'S RECOMMENDATION FOR COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING MJ Sewitch, M Dawes, M Yaffe, L Snell, M Roper, P Zanelli, P Burtin, A Pavilanis, C Fournier
The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between patients' psychosocial characteristics and receipt of a physician's recommendation for colorectal cancer screening.
This descriptive study was conducted at family medicine and internal medicine clinics at three university-affiliated hospitals in Montreal (2004 to 2005). Psychosocial characteristics were assessed by use of validated self-administered questionnaires, and included depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale), coping styles (Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations) and social support (MOS Social Support Survey). Receipt of a physician's recommendation for screening was assessed immediately following the office visit by physician questionnaire.
A total of 616 (age=65.7, 61% F) patients (of 65 staff physicians) aged 50 to 80 years and without previous or current colorectal cancer participated. Of the 283 (46%) patients eligible for colorectal cancer screening, 128 (45%) received a physician's recommendation. Screening recommendations included: 58 (45%) fecal occult blood tests, one (0.7%) flexible sigmoidoscopy and 70 (55%) colonoscopies (one patient was recommended two exams). Using multiple generalized estimating equations to adjust for clustering of patients within physicians' practices, decreasing age (OR=0.97; 95% CI 0.95 to 0.99) and higher emotional social support (OR=1.44; 95% CI 1.13 to 1.84) were associated with receipt of a physician recommendation for screening.
In conclusion, we found that among screen-eligible patients, increased emotional support (eg, caring, love and empathy) was associated with increased odds of receiving a physician's recommendation for colorectal cancer screening.