Scheduled for Research Coordinating Board Poster Session II, Friday, April 28, 2006, 10:45 AM - 12:15 PM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Area II


Knowledge and Perceived Benefits and Barriers to Screening for Colorectal Cancer (CRC) among College Employees: A Pilot Study

Janet Wigglesworth and Srijana Bajracharya, Ithaca College, Ithaca, NY

Cancer became the number one cause of death among people below 85 years of age in the United States. The purpose of this study was to pilot study a new instrument to gather information on the knowledge of university/college employees regarding colorectal cancer (CRC) and perceived benefits and barriers to CRC screening. A 27-item instrument was developed based on an earlier focus group study and other existing instruments. A total of 50 faculty and staff (45 years of age and over) were randomly selected and surveyed in a midsize campus in the Central New York. A Cronbach's alpha reliability of the instrument was .88. There were 68% females, 69% were 50 years of age and above, and 42% believed that they had an excellent health. About 36% of 50 years and above subjects did not have CRC screening test and 20.8% of them did not intend to have screening in the next 6 months. Based on several other findings the instrument will be revised and used in an expanded study in several other campuses. The audience will be offered a chance to review the instrument and discuss program strategies. Ultimately, the study will allow health services to prioritize CRC prevention and health promotion programs by tackling pertinent issues and improve risk management counseling strategies.

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