Meeting abstract
IMPORTANCE OF INDIVIDUAL APPROACH IN IMPROVEMENT OF NATIONAL COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING PROGRAM PERFORMANCE
Jasmina Kovačević
; Public Health Institute of Požega-Slavonija County, Županijska Street 9, Požega, Croatia
Vera Musil
; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, JD Rockefeller Street 4, Zagreb, Croatia
Dejvid Zombori
; Public Health Institute of Požega-Slavonija County, Županijska Street 9, Požega, Croatia
Vesna Jureša
; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Andrija Štampar School of Public Health, JD Rockefeller Street 4, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Introduction: Colorectal cancer (CC) mortality in Croatia is higher than average of European Union (EU) member states. From 2007, National Colorectal Cancer Screening Program (NPCC) has been conducted in Croatia, with aim of reducing CC mortality, detecting illness in early stage, better treatment options and life quality improvement. According to European Guidelines for Quality Assurance of Screening and Diagnosis of CC, acceptable response rate to screening is at least 45%, which hasn’t been reached in Croatia so far.
Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate impact of public health intervention in form of home visits made by medical students, on Hemoccult test to persons included in NPCC.
Methods: The sample for intervention was persons included in NPCC from two settlements, Vetovo and Kaptol in Požega-Slavonia County. Intervention was performed in Vetovo (N=338), while participants from Kaptol served as control group (N=417). Home visits were conducted by final year of study medical students in coordination with Public Health Institute of Požega-Slavonia County. Students explained reason for visit, importance of participation in NP to persons who agreed to participate in intervention, using standardized survey interview, and offered Hemocult test with detailed explanation of how to use it. The data were processed in Microsoft Office Excel using descriptive statistic methods.
Results: Before intervention, response rate within NPCC (persons who signed consent for Hemocult test/persons invited to NPCC) in Vetovo was 14.4% and 18.6% in Kaptol; χ2 (1)=1.177, p>0.05. After intervention, response rate in Vetovo was 45.7% and in Kaptol 21.0%; χ2 (1)=29.986, p<0.0001. Before intervention, response rate to Hemocult test (persons who did Hemocult test/persons invited to NPCC) in Vetovo was 10.9% and 13.1% in Kaptol; χ2 (1)=0.422, p>0.05. After intervention, response rate to Hemocult test in Vetovo was 24.7%, and 15.1% in Kaptol (without intervention); χ2 (1)=6.317, p=0.012.
Conclusion: In settlement where home visits intervention was performed, a significantly higher response rates on Hemocult test was achieved, compared with neighbouring settlement of similar characteristics, where usual NPCC protocol was followed. Results of the study implied importance of individual approach in public health practice in improvement of NPCC performance.
Keywords
colorectal cancer; screening; public health; community health
Hrčak ID:
218616
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2018.
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