Nikos Viazis1, Maria Tzouvala2, Angeliki Theodoropoulou3, Olga Giouleme4, Kostas Thomopoulos5, Dimitrios K Christodoulou6, Spyros Michopoulos7, Konstantinos Soufleris8, Ioannis Koutroubakis9, Georg Karamanolis10, George Papatheodoridis11, Ioannis Giotis2, Gregorios Paspatis3, Gerassimos J Mantzaris12. 1. Department of Gastroenterology, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece, nikos.viazis@gmail.com. 2. Department of Gastroenterology, General Hospital of Nikaia Piraeus "Agios Panteleimon", General Hospital Dytikis Attikis "Agia Varvara", Nikaia, Greece. 3. Department of Gastroenterology, Venizeleio General Hospital, Heraklion, Greece. 4. Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, 2nd Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Hippokrateion Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. 5. Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Patras, Patras, Greece. 6. Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece. 7. Department of Gastroenterology, Alexandra General Hospital, Athens, Greece. 8. Department of Gastroenterology, Theagenion Cancer Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. 9. Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Heraklion, Heraklion, Greece. 10. Department of Gastroenterology, 2nd Surgical Clinic University of Athens, Aretaiion Hospital, Athens, Greece. 11. Department of Gastroenterology, Medical School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, General Hospital of Athens "Laiko", Athens, Greece. 12. Department of Gastroenterology, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Abstract
AIM: To evaluate the uptake of screening colonoscopy among physicians as compared to the general population. METHODS: Asymptomatic physicians, aged 45-67 years, at average risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), working in the participating National Health System hospitals were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding the uptake of screening colonoscopy. The results were compared to those in a background healthy population, aged 50-75 years, inhabitants of a Greek county, who were offered a free access to a screening colonoscopy program for CRC. High-risk adenomas were those ≥10 mm in diameter or any adenoma, regardless of size, with villous histology or high-grade dysplasia. RESULTS: Overall, 267 of 782 physicians and 402 of 6,534 nonphysicians underwent a screening colonoscopy (uptake rates 34.2 and 6.2% respectively, p = 0.00001). Screening colonoscopy has yielded 4 adenocarcinomas (1.6%), 14 high-risk adenomas (5.5%), and 61 low-risk adenomas (25.7%) in the physicians' group. Corresponding figures in the nonphysician arm were 4 (1), 26 (6.5), and 107 (26.6%), respectively. The main reason among physicians for nonadherence was indifference/negligence (n = 213). CONCLUSION: The proportion of physicians undergoing screening colonoscopy for CRC is significantly higher compared to the general population; however, it does remain suboptimal.
AIM: To evaluate the uptake of screening colonoscopy among physicians as compared to the general population. METHODS: Asymptomatic physicians, aged 45-67 years, at average risk for colorectal cancer (CRC), working in the participating National Health System hospitals were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding the uptake of screening colonoscopy. The results were compared to those in a background healthy population, aged 50-75 years, inhabitants of a Greek county, who were offered a free access to a screening colonoscopy program for CRC. High-risk adenomas were those ≥10 mm in diameter or any adenoma, regardless of size, with villous histology or high-grade dysplasia. RESULTS: Overall, 267 of 782 physicians and 402 of 6,534 nonphysicians underwent a screening colonoscopy (uptake rates 34.2 and 6.2% respectively, p = 0.00001). Screening colonoscopy has yielded 4 adenocarcinomas (1.6%), 14 high-risk adenomas (5.5%), and 61 low-risk adenomas (25.7%) in the physicians' group. Corresponding figures in the nonphysician arm were 4 (1), 26 (6.5), and 107 (26.6%), respectively. The main reason among physicians for nonadherence was indifference/negligence (n = 213). CONCLUSION: The proportion of physicians undergoing screening colonoscopy for CRC is significantly higher compared to the general population; however, it does remain suboptimal.
Authors: Vui Heng Chong; Lydiana Kadir; Zakaria Kamis; Norhayati Kassim; Muhammad Abdul Mabood Khalil; Jackson Tan; Elvynna Leong; Sok King Ong; Chee Fui Chong Journal: Asian Pac J Cancer Prev Date: 2020-08-01