The Article in Brief

Offering Annual Fecal Occult Blood Tests During Flu Shot Clinics Increases Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates

Michael B. Potter , and colleagues

Background Only about one-half of eligible adults aged 50 years and older report being up-to-date on screening for colorectal cancer. The home fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is the least expensive screening method, but there are often educational, linguistic, ethnic, social, or cultural barriers to its use. This study examines whether offering home FOBT tests during annual flu shot clinics is an effective way to increase rates of colorectal cancer screening.

What This Study Found Offering home FOBT to eligible patients at a primary care-based annual flu shot clinic dramatically increases colorectal cancer screening rates among those in attendance. In this study of 514 patients at an annual flu shot clinic, screening rates increased by almost 30 percentage points among those offered an FOBT compared with an insignificant increase of 4 percentage points in screening among those who weren't offered the test.

Implications

• Annual flu shot activities provide an opportunity for nonphysician staff to offer FOBT to patients older than 50 years who need it at a time when they are already thinking about illness prevention.
• Combining annual FOBT and flu shot activities could become an effective way to promote colorectal cancer screening in primary care settings, especially in communities and clinics where FOBT remains the primary screening option.