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theses

Colorectal cancer is the 3rd most prevalent type of non-cancer, and the 2nd leading cause of cancer-related death in both men and women in the United States. This is despite being one of the most preventable and curable cancer types, when detected early. While the incidence and mortality from the disease has been declining over the past decade, its decline can be further accelerated by improving screening rates in order to identify the disease at the earliest stage, when the cure rate is at its highest. The goal of this study was to identify the socioeconomic attributes of the colorectal cancer screening population, and to assess if any socioeconomic attribute statistically increases the likelihood that a patient tests positive at screening. This was achieved by stratifying socioeconomic attributes, and the colorectal cancer screening population data from a national clinical diagnostics lab for patients screened in a 6 year period, beginning in 2012 through 2015. Some of the key findings from the study are outlined below: - There was a significant increase in CRC screening volume over the 6 years studied. This was an encouraging trend that shows a possible increase in CRC screening benefits awareness, which is pivotal in the ongoing effort to reduce the incidence and mortality rates from the disease - The population median income showed a decline over the 6 year studied, even as the CRC screening volume grew over the same period. This was an encouraging finding because it was indicative of the less affluent becoming more aware of CRC screening, as well as having better access to screening - There was an inverse relationship between the population’s median income and the positivity rate; as the population’s median income increased, the positivity rate declined - Poverty rate in the CRC screening population grew over the study period, in support of the trend observed with the population median income attribute. Another indication that CRC screening was becoming more accessible to the poorer population - The screening population’s bachelor’s degree attainment rate remained relatively stable of the 6 year study period, even as the CRC screening volume grew. Bachelor’s degree attainment had an inverse relationship with positivity rate

ETD_7585

doi:10.7282/T33N25NX

Ph.D.

Includes bibliographical references

by Ifeyinwa Okoye

ETD doctoral

The author owns the copyright to this work.