Assessing Colorectal Cancer Knowledge Among Puerto Rican Hispanics: Implications for Cancer Prevention and Control.

In Puerto Rico, colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates are increasing. Moreover, adherence rates to CRC screening (52.2%) are still below the goals (70.5%) established by Healthy People 2020. Lack of knowledge is described as a significant barrier to adherence to CRC screening. The aim of this study was to assess CRC knowledge and screening rates among Puerto Rican Hispanics. Participants aged 40-85 years were recruited from the internal medicine outpatient clinics at the University of Puerto Rico. Demographic characteristics and knowledge about CRC, including risk factors and CRC screening tests, were obtained through face-to-face interviews. A mean CRC knowledge score was calculated based on correct responses to 13 validated questions. Mean knowledge scores were evaluated according to demographic characteristics using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test. A total of 101 participants were recruited with mean age of 63 (±10.6) years. Fifty-eight (58%) of participants were females, 59% reported ≥12 years of education, and 71% reported ever screening for CRC. The mean CRC knowledge score was significantly lower (p < 0.05) among participants with lower annual family income, those who had never received a recommendation for CRC screening by a healthcare provider, and those who had no history of CRC screening. Knowledge about CRC must be improved in Puerto Rico. Efforts must be made to promote and develop culturally appropriate CRC educational strategies. Future studies should focus on identifying other barriers and factors that may limit CRC screening in the Puerto Rican Hispanic population.

Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome among Medical Students of Puerto Rico.

OBJECTIVE: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is characterized by chronic abdominal pain and altered bowel habits. A high prevalence has been reported in medical students around the globe. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IBS and associated risk factors in medical students in Puerto Rico (PR). METHODS: A cross sectional study was conducted in a sample of medical students from first to fourth year currently enrolled at the University of PR School of Medicine. Participants completed a self-administered, anonymous questionnaire that contained questions about general socio-demographic data, lifestyle habits, degree of subjective psychological stress and the Rome III criteria: IBS Module. RESULTS: 314 medical students were included for analysis. The mean age was 24.8±3.25; 48.1% were females. The prevalence of IBS was 36.3%. Among the IBS subjects, 78 (24.8%) were classified as IBS mixed. Family history of IBS and psychological stress were significantly associated to IBS (p<0.05), whereas cigarette smoking was found to be protective for IBS (OR = 0.26 + .17, P=.04). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to describe the prevalence of IBS in medical students in PR. A higher prevalence of IBS was found as compared to that reported for medical students in other countries. Additional studies aimed at estimating the impact of IBS on quality of life and academic performance of the medical students are essential.