Evaluation of Preventive Colorectal Cancer Screening in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus
This study evaluates and the factors that impact screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in patients with diabetes. Patients with type II diabetes mellitus (diabetes) have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer. Most of these patients are non-Hispanic black (NHB) and Hispanic. NHB patients are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage and less likely to survive. Colonoscopy, a diagnostic test that uses a scope to look inside the rectum and colon, is considered the standard screening test for CRC. However, federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), use non-invasive testing, such as testing stool samples, and offer colonoscopy as a second-line screening after an abnormal test. Data has shown that the rate of CRC screening in all patients is lower in FQHC's than traditional primary care clinics. Analyzing information from national data about patients with diabetes and collecting input from providers may help researchers learn the factors that influence colorectal cancer screening. This study may help researchers learn how to organize preventive care and increase colorectal cancer screenings in high risk patients with diabetes.