Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screening in Northeastern North Carolina

ECU Author/Contributor (non-ECU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)

Kelly Harvey (Creator)

Institution

East Carolina University (ECU )

Web Site: http://www.ecu.edu/lib/

Abstract: Colorectal cancer has the 3rd highest prevalence and the 2nd highest mortality rate of all cancer in the United States , with over 4 , 000 new diagnoses and 1 , 600 deaths reported in North Carolina yearly. Early detection significantly reduces mortality , however rural patients are less likely to have timely colorectal cancer screening. The objective of this quality improvement project was to increase the number of stool-based colorectal screening kits returned for analysis at a primary care clinic in rural northeastern North Carolina. The initiative involved introducing a new reminder system for colorectal cancer screening to the staff of a rural clinic. All patients 50 and older of average cancer risk who received screening kits during a 10-week period were logged. The patients were called after 2 weeks as a reminder to return the kit if they had not already done so. The clinic providers saw 650 eligible patients and distributed 68 kits during the project period , of which 25 (37%) were returned , as compared to the 3-month period prior to the intervention , in which the providers saw 810 patients and distributed 14 kits , with 7 (50%) returned. The number of test kits both distributed and returned increased substantially despite similar numbers of eligible patients. While some patients may have been motivated by the telephone reminders , the increase may also have been a factor of distributing more kits.

Additional Information

Publication

Other

Harvey , K. (2018). Increasing colorectal cancer in northeastern North Carolina (DNP Scholarly Project , East Carolina University). Retrieved from The ScholarShip at East Carolina University.

Language: English

Date: 2018

Keywords

colon cancer; rectal cancer; cancer screening; rural health

Subjects

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