Investigating the role of county-level colorectal cancer screening rates on stage at diagnosis of colorectal cancer in rural Georgia.

BACKGROUND: To examine the impact of county-level colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates on stage at diagnosis of CRC and identify factors associated with stage at diagnosis across different levels of screening rates in rural Georgia. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis utilizing data from 2004 to 2010 Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program. The 2013 United States Department of Agriculture rural-urban continuum codes were used to identify rural Georgia counties. The 2004-2010 National Cancer Institute small area estimates for screening behaviors were applied to link county-level CRC screening rates. Descriptive statistics and multinominal logistic regressions were performed. RESULTS: Among 4,839 CRC patients, most patients diagnosed with localized CRC lived in low screening areas; however, many diagnosed with regionalized and distant CRC lived in high screening areas (p-value = 0.009). In multivariable analysis, rural patients living in high screening areas were 1.2-fold more likely to be diagnosed at a regionalized and distant stage of CRC (both p-value < 0.05). When examining the factors associated with stage at presentation, Black patients who lived in low screening areas were 36% more likely to be diagnosed with distant diseases compared to White patients (95% CI, 1.08-1.71). Among those living in high screening areas, patients with right-sided CRC were 38% more likely to have regionalized disease (95% CI, 1.09-1.74). CONCLUSION: Patients living in high screening areas were more likely to have a later stage of CRC in rural Georgia. IMPACT: Allocating CRC screening/treatment resources and improving CRC risk awareness should be prioritized for rural patients in Georgia.

The impact of electronic medical record system implementation on HCV screening and continuum of care: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Hepatitis C (HCV) screening is imperative to meet WHO elimination targets including increased detection and reduced mortality. An electronic medical record (EMR) system can be utilized in health care centers to indicate if a patient should be targeted for HCV screening, thus increasing the number of those offered testing. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined English language publications reporting on the impact of EMR system utilization on HCV screening and the HCV continuum of care. Relevant papers were identified using multiple search engines to search key terms. Clinical outcomes considered included any or no change in HCV screening rates following EMR system introduction, as well as any or no change in rates of patients progressing along the HCV cascade of care after diagnosis once an EMR system was implemented. RESULTS: From a search pool of 18 studies, 11 meet inclusion criteria and reported on the selected clinical outcomes. Each outcome assessed indicated that use of an EMR system increased the proportion of patients offered and/or receiving HCV testing. We were unable to conclude if an EMR system had an impact on the number of patients progressing along the HCV cascade of care following a positive test result. Overall, all methods of implementation of an EMR system had the same outcome of increasing screening rates. CONCLUSIONS: EMR system utilization had a positive impact on increasing HCV screening. However, the clinical effectiveness of utilizing an EMR system to help eliminate transmission and increase HCV treatment cure rates requires further study.

Towards a subsiding diabetes epidemic: trends from a large population-based study in Israel.

BACKGROUND: With increasing diabetes prevalence worldwide, an impending diabetes "pandemic" has been reported. However, definitions of incident cases and the population at risk remain varied and ambiguous. This study analyzed trends in mortality and screening that contribute to diabetes prevalence and incidence, distinguishing between new incident cases and newly detected cases. METHODS: In an integrated provider-and-payer-system covering 53% of Israel's population, a composite diabetes case-finding algorithm was built using diagnoses, lab tests, and antidiabetic medication purchases from the organization's electronic medical record database. Data were extracted on adult members aged 26+ each year from January 1, 2004 through December 31, 2012. Rates of diabetes prevalence, incidence, screening, and mortality were reported, with incidence rates evaluated among the total, "previously-screened," and "previously-unscreened" at-risk populations. RESULTS: There were 343,554 diabetes cases in 2012 (14.4%) out of 2,379,712 members aged 26+. A consistent but decelerating upward trend in diabetes prevalence was observed from 2004-2012. Annual mortality rates among diabetics decreased from 13.8/1000 to 10.7/1000 (p = 0.0002). Total population incidence rates declined from 13.3/1000 in 2006 to 10.8/1000 in 2012 (p < 0.0001), with similar incidence trends (13.2/1000 to 10.2/1000; p = 0.0007) among previously-screened at-risk members, and a rise in testing rates from 53.0% to 66.7% (p = 0.0004). The previously-unscreened group decreased 28.6%, and the incidence rates within this group remained stable. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in diabetes prevalence is decelerating despite declining mortality and increasing testing rates. A decline in previously-screened incident cases and a shrinking pool of previously-unscreened members suggests that diabetes trends in Israel are moving toward equilibrium, rather than a growing epidemic.

Evaluation of the Cost-Effectiveness of Evidence-Based Interventions to Increase Female Breast and Cervical Cancer Screens: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To systematically review published cost-effectiveness analyses of Evidence-Based Interventions (EBIs) recommended by the United States Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) to increase breast and cervical cancer screening. METHODS: We searched PubMed and Embase for prospective cost-effectiveness evaluations of EBIs for breast and cervical cancer screening since 1999. We reviewed studies according to the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) and compared the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICERs), defined as cost per additional woman screened, adjusted to 2021 USD, within and across EBIs by cancer type. RESULTS: We identified eleven studies meeting our review criteria: nine were breast cancer-focused, one breast and cervical cancer combined, and one cervical only, which together reported twenty-four cost-effectiveness assessments of outreach programs spanning eight EBIs. One-on-one education programs were the most common EBI evaluated. The average ICER across breast cancer studies was USD 545 (standard deviation [SD] = USD 729.3), while that for cervical cancer studies was USD 197 (SD = 186.6. Provider reminder/recall systems for women already linked to formal care were the most cost-effective, with an average ICERs of USD 41.3 and USD 10.6 for breast and cervical cancer, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Variability in ICERs across and within EBIs reflect the population studied, the specific EBI, and study settings, and was relatively high. ICER estimate uncertainty and the potential for program replicability in other settings and with other populations were not addressed. Given these limitations, using existing cost-effectiveness estimates to inform program funding allocations is not warranted at this time. Additional research is needed on outreach programs for cervical cancer and those which serve minority populations for either of the female cancer screens.

Colorectal screening among average risk individuals in the United States, 2015-2018.

Colorectal cancer screening rates are important metrics for public health and quality indicators for health care systems; however, published estimates of colorectal cancer screening rates often include both high-risk and average-risk patients, and the use of different epidemiologic methods makes between-study comparisons tenuous. The objective of this study was to measure the proportion of average-risk American adults who are up to date with colorectal cancer screening guidelines and examine the impact of evaluation methods on screening rate estimates. This repeated cross-sectional study used administrative claims to identify individuals aged 50-75 years between 2015 and 2018 with ≥ 1-year of continuous health plan enrollment. Sensitivity analyses to replicate prior studies in the literature included: 1) retrospective cohort study requiring ≥ 10 years of continuous enrollment to identify the most current screening rates (2018), and 2) inclusion of individuals with higher colorectal cancer risk. A total of 2,579,898; 2,948,064; 3,312,882; and 2,752,864 individuals were included in the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 populations, respectively. In the cross-sectional sample, the proportion of individuals with up-to-date colorectal cancer screening was 51.8%, 51.3%, 51.0%, and 51.1% in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, respectively. The inclusion of high-risk individuals increased estimates approximately 37%. Using a retrospective cohort design, 67.5% of average-risk individuals were up to date in 2018. This study demonstrated the impact of methodological differences on rate estimates. Efforts to track screening rates require transparency in measurement methods to accurately evaluate progress in improving rates.

When guidelines face reality - Lynch syndrome screening in the setting of public health system in a developing country.

Lynch syndrome (LS) is the most common cause of hereditary colorectal cancer (CRC); however, it is still underrecognized and underdiagnosed. While international guidelines gravitate towards universal screening, the underuse of screening methods has been reported in real-world scenarios. This study aims to evaluate screening for LS among patients diagnosed with CRC in a public cancer center in Brazil and evaluate access to genetic counseling and testing for abnormal screens. For that purpose, all patients with CRC registered in our institution from July 2012 to December 2018 had their charts reviewed. Demographic and clinical characteristics were noted, as well as immunohistochemistry and microsatellite instability analysis results, when available. After applying exclusion criteria, a total of 1234 charts were reviewed. Among these, 257 patients were screened for LS, making up a 20.8% screening rate; when considering Jerusalem criteria, screening rate was 24.5%; for Bethesda criteria, it was 35.1%. Almost 80% of patients fulfilling Amsterdam criteria I/II were screened. There were 64 abnormal screens, from which 40 (62.5%) underwent genetic counseling and 12 (18.7%) underwent genetic testing. We concluded that overall screening rates for LS among CRC patients in a public cancer center in Brazil are low, and still very guided by stringent clinical criteria. Referral to genetic counseling and access to testing is limited, calling the whole process into question. Public policies aiming to raise awareness on hereditary cancer and include genetic testing in the public health system could help improve this scenario.

Early colorectal cancer detection-Current and evolving challenges in evidence, guidelines, policy, and practices.

The understanding at the beginning of the last century that colorectal cancer began as a localized disease that progressed and became systemic, and that most colorectal cancer arose from adenomatous polyps gave rise to aggressive attempts at curative treatment and eventually attempts to detect advanced lesions before they progressed to invasive disease. In the last four decades, steadily greater uptake of screening has led to reductions in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. However, the fullest potential of screening is not being met due to the lack of organized screening, where a systems approach could lead to higher rates of screening of average and high risk groups, higher quality screening, and prompt followup of adults with positive screening tests. ABSTRACT: Since the beginning of the 20th century, there has been a general understanding that colorectal cancer is a clonal disease that progresses from a localized stage with a favorable prognosis through progressively more advanced stages which have progressively worse prognosis. That understanding led first to determined efforts to detect and treat early stage symptomatic disease, and then to detect pre-symptomatic colorectal cancer and precursor lesions, where there was hope that the natural history of the disease could be arrested and the incidence and premature mortality of colorectal cancer averted. Toward the end of the last century, guidelines for colorectal cancer screening, growth in the number of technical options for screening, and a steady increase in the proportion of the adult population who attended screening contributed to the beginning of a significant decline in colorectal cancer incidence and mortality. Despite this progress, colorectal cancer remains the third leading cause of death among men and women in the United States. Screening for early detection of precursor lesions and localized cancer offers the single most productive opportunity to further reduce the burden of disease, and yet nearly four in five deaths from colorectal cancer are associated with having never been screened, not recently screened, or not followed up for an abnormal screening test. This simple observation is a call to action in all communities to apply existing knowledge to fulfill the potential to prevent avertable incidence and mortality.

The Importance of Cancer Screening.

The burden of cancer in the United States is substantial, providing important opportunity and obligation for primary care clinicians to promote cancer prevention and early detection. Without a system of organized screening to support reminders and follow-up of cancer screening, primary care clinicians face challenges in addressing risk assessment, informed/shared decision making, reminders for screening, and tracking adherence to screening recommendations. Tools exist for collecting information about family history, tracking screening adherence, and reminding patients when they are due for screening, and strategies exist for making cancer prevention and early detection an office policy and delegating roles and responsibilities to office staff.

Association between colorectal cancer testing and insurance type: Evidence from the Swiss Health Interview Survey 2012.

Both colonoscopy and fecal occult blood test (FOBT) are commonly used for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, but colonoscopy costs much more than FOBT. Swiss insurance offers high or low deductibles and choice of basic or private insurance. We hypothesized that high deductibles and basic insurance discourage colonoscopy, but do not change FOBT rates. We determined the proportion of patients tested for CRC in Switzerland (colonoscopy within 10 years, FOBT within 2 years), and determined associations with health insurance type. We extracted data on 50-75-year-olds from the Swiss Health Interview Surveys of 2012 to determine colonoscopy and FOBT testing rates (n = 7335). Multivariate logistic regression models estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) of CRC testing associated with health insurance type (deductible and private insurance), adjusted for socio-demographic factors (age, gender, education, income) and self-rated health. The weighted proportion of individuals tested for CRC within recommended intervals was 39.5%. Testing with colonoscopy was significantly associated with private insurance (PR 1.85, 95% CI: 1.46-2.35) and low deductible (PR 2.00, 95% CI: 1.56-2.57). Testing with FOBT was significantly associated with deductible (PR 1.71, 95%CI:1.09-2.68) but not with private insurance. About 60% of the Swiss population was not current with CRC testing. After adjusting for covariates, private insurance and low deductible was significantly associated with higher prevalence of CRC testing, indicating that waiving the deductible could increase CRC screening uptake and reduce health inequality.

Screening practices and associated anomalies in infants with anorectal malformations: Results from the Midwest Pediatric Surgery Consortium.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluates screening practices and the incidence of associated anomalies in infants with anorectal malformations (ARM). METHODS: We performed a multi-institutional retrospective cohort study of children born between 2007 and 2011 who underwent surgery for ARM at 10 children's hospitals. ARM type was classified based on the location of the distal rectum, and all screening studies were reviewed. RESULTS: Among 506 patients, the most common ARM subtypes were perineal fistula (40.7%), no fistula (11.5%), and vestibular fistula (10.1%). At least 1 screening test was performed in 96.6% of patients, and 11.3% of patients underwent all. The proportion of patients with ≥1 abnormal finding on any screening test varied by type of ARM (p<0.001). Screening rates varied from 15.2% for limb anomalies to 89.7% for renal anomalies. The most commonly identified anomalies by screening category were: spinal: tethered cord (20.6%); vertebral: sacral dysplasia/hemisacrum (17.8%); cardiac: patent foramen ovale (58.0%); renal: hydronephrosis (22.7%); limb: absent radius (7.9%). CONCLUSION: Screening practices and the incidence of associated anomalies varied by type of ARM. The rate of identifying at least one associated anomaly was high across all ARM subtypes. Screening for associated anomalies should be considered standard of care for all ARM patients. TYPE OF STUDY: Multi-institutional retrospective cohort study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Benchmarks of Diabetes Care in Men Living With Treated HIV-Infection: A Tertiary Center Experience.

Treated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with high rates of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), metabolic syndrome and central obesity/body fat partitioning disorders. To our knowledge, there are no available data comparing diabetes care in people with both HIV+DM vs. DM alone (DM-controls) within the same service and evaluating if benchmarked standards of care are being met in people with HIV+DM. This study evaluated the frequency that people with HIV+DM met the benchmarked American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards of care in diabetes (targets for HbA1c, blood pressure, lipid levels, complication screening, and healthy weight), compared to age- and sex- matched controls with diabetes, in an urban teaching hospital. The frequency of diabetes complications and rates of obesity and metabolic syndrome were also examined. All participants were male; individuals with HIV+DM (n = 30) were similar to DM-controls (n = 30) for age, diabetes duration and smoking status, but were more frequently non-obese compared to DM controls (92 vs. 55%, respectively, p = 0.003). Only 41% of HIV+DM met HbA1c targets, compared with 70% of DM-controls (p = 0.037). Blood pressure targets were poorly met in both HIV+DM and DM-controls: 43 vs. 23%, respectively (p = 0.12); LDL cholesterol targets were met in 65 vs. 67% (p = 1.0). Benchmarked complication screening rates were similar between HIV+DM vs. DM-controls for annual foot examination (53 vs. 67%, respectively, p = 0.29); biennial retinal examination (83 vs. 77%, respectively, p = 0.52); and annual urinary albumin measurement (77 vs. 67%, respectively, p = 0.39). The prevalence of diabetes complications was similar between HIV+DM compared to DM-controls: macrovascular complications were present in 23% in both groups (p = 1.0); the prevalence of microvascular complications was 40 vs. 30%, respectively (p = 0.51). Achieving the standard of care benchmarks for diabetes in people with both HIV-infection and diabetes is of particular importance to mitigate against the accelerated cardiometabolic outcomes observed in those with treated HIV infection. HIV+DM were less likely to achieve HbA1c targets than people with diabetes, but without HIV. People with HIV+DM may require specific strategies to ensure care benchmarks are met.

Hepatitis C screening trends in a large integrated health system.

BACKGROUND: As new hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies emerge, only 1%-12% of individuals are screened in the US for HCV infection. Presently, HCV screening trends are unknown. METHODS: We utilized the Kaiser Permanente Mid-Atlantic States' (KPMAS) data repository to investigate HCV antibody screening between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2012. We identified the proportion screened for HCV and 5-year cumulative incidence of screening, the screening positivity rate, the provider types performing HCV screening, patient-level factors associated with being screened, and trends in screening over time. RESULTS: There were 444,594 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 15.8% of the cohort was ever screened for HCV. Adult primary care and obstetrics and gynecology providers performed 75.9% of all screening. The overall test positivity rate was 3.8%. Screening was more frequent in younger age groups (P <.0001) and those with a documented history of illicit drug use (P <.0001). Patients with missing drug use history (46.7%) were least likely to be screened (P <.0001). While the rate of HCV screening increased in the later years of the study among those enrolled in KPMAS 2009-2012, only 11.8% were screened by the end of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Screening for HCV is increasing but remains incomplete. Targeting screening to those with a history of injection drug will not likely expand screening, as nearly half of patients have no documented drug use history. Routine screening is likely the most effective approach to expand HCV screening.

Breast cancer screening, area deprivation, and later-stage breast cancer in Appalachia: does geography matter?

OBJECTIVE: To model the relationship of an area-based measure of a breast cancer screening and geographic area deprivation on the incidence of later stage breast cancer (LSBC) across a diverse region of Appalachia. DATA SOURCE: Central cancer registry data (2006-2008) from three Appalachian states were linked to Medicare claims and census data. STUDY DESIGN: Exploratory spatial analysis preceded the statistical model based on negative binomial regression to model predictors and effect modification by geographic subregions. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Exploratory spatial analysis revealed geographically varying effects of area deprivation and screening on LSBC. In the negative binomial regression model, predictors of LSBC included receipt of screening, area deprivation, supply of mammography centers, and female population aged>75 years. The most deprived counties had a 3.31 times greater rate of LSBC compared to the least deprived. Effect of screening on LSBC was significantly stronger in northern Appalachia than elsewhere in the study region, found mostly for high-population counties. CONCLUSIONS: Breast cancer screening and area deprivation are strongly associated with disparity in LBSC in Appalachia. The presence of geographically varying predictors of later stage tumors in Appalachia suggests the importance of place-based health care access and risk.