Association of socioeconomic status and receipt of colorectal….pdfVIP

Research Recherche Association of socioeconomic status and receipt of colorectal cancer investigations: a population- based retrospective cohort study Sheldon M. Singh, Lawrence F. Paszat, Cindy Li, Jingsong He, Chris Vinden, Linda Rabeneck Abstract many professional societies.9–15 In 1 4 the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination (now the Can- Background: Although the Canadian health care system was de- adian Task Force on Preventive Health Care) concluded signed to ensure equal access, inequities persist. It is not that there was insufficient evidence to support CRC known if inequities exist for receipt of investigations used to screening in asymptomatic people over the age of 40 screen for colorectal cancer (CRC). We examined the associa- years.16 In the 2001 update of these guidelines fecal occult tion between socioeconomic status and receipt of colorectal blood testing (FOBT) every 1 or 2 years or flexible sigmoi- investigation in Ontario. doscopy every 5 years was recommended for screening av- Methods: People aged 50 to 70 years living in Ontario on Jan. 1, erage-risk people 50 years of age or older; there was judged 1997, who did not have a history of CRC, inflammatory bowel to be insufficient evidence to support colonoscopy as the disease or colorectal investigation within the previous 5 years were followed until death or Dec. 31, 2001. Receipt of any initial screening te