Barriers and Facilitators to Colorectal Cancer Screening in African-American Men

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA. From 2012 to 2017, incidence and death rates for CRC were 30% and 50% higher among African-American men compared to white men. This study aimed to identify factors that influence CRC screening behaviour in African-American men. They conducted semi-structured interviews with 32 African-American men. Results showed that beliefs relating to masculinity emerged as factors that hindered participation in screening. Overwhelmingly, participants felt that having an in-depth discussion about colorectal cancer with their provider was critical to enabling them to get screened. Furthermore, participants had poor colorectal cancer knowledge, as only 16% passed the knowledge test. 48% agreed that their provider did not recommend getting screened. This study provides a novel sociocultural perspective about colorectal cancer screening in African-American men. The findings highlight the importance of family, masculinity, and community when promoting colorectal cancer screening to this population. Read Full Text