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Showing content from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20383599 below:

Fecal occult blood testing beliefs and practices of U.S. primary care physicians: serious deviations from evidence-based recommendations

doi: 10.1007/s11606-010-1328-7. Epub 2010 Apr 10. Fecal occult blood testing beliefs and practices of U.S. primary care physicians: serious deviations from evidence-based recommendations

Affiliations

Affiliation

¹ Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, MS K55, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. mrn1@cdc.gov

PMID: 20383599
PMCID: PMC2896587
DOI: 10.1007/s11606-010-1328-7

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Fecal occult blood testing beliefs and practices of U.S. primary care physicians: serious deviations from evidence-based recommendations

Marion R Nadel et al. J Gen Intern Med. 2010 Aug.

doi: 10.1007/s11606-010-1328-7. Epub 2010 Apr 10. Affiliation

¹ Division of Cancer Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Highway, MS K55, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. mrn1@cdc.gov

PMID: 20383599
PMCID: PMC2896587
DOI: 10.1007/s11606-010-1328-7

Item in Clipboard

Abstract

Background: Fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) is an important option for colorectal cancer screening that should be available in order to achieve high population screening coverage. However, results from a national survey of clinical practice in 1999-2000 indicated that many primary care physicians used inadequate methods to implement FOBT screening and follow-up.

Objective: To determine whether methods to screen for fecal occult blood have improved, including the use of newer more sensitive stool tests.

Design: Cross-sectional national survey of primary care physicians.

Participants: Participants consisted of 1,134 primary care physicians who reported ordering or performing FOBT in the 2006-2007 National Survey of Primary Care Physicians' Recommendations and Practices for Cancer Screening.

Main measures: Self-reported data on details of FOBT implementation and follow-up of positive results.

Results: Most physicians report using standard guaiac tests; higher sensitivity guaiac tests and immunochemical tests were reported by only 22.0% and 8.9%, respectively. In-office testing, that is, testing of a single specimen collected during a digital rectal examination in the office, is still widely used although inappropriate for screening: 24.9% of physicians report using only in-office tests and another 52.9% report using both in-office and home tests. Recommendations improved for follow-up after a positive test: fewer physicians recommend repeating the FOBT (17.8%) or using tests other than colonoscopy for the diagnostic work-up (6.6%). Only 44.3% of physicians who use home tests have reminder systems to ensure test completion and return.

Conclusions: Many physicians continue to use inappropriate methods to screen for fecal occult blood. Intensified efforts to inform physicians of recommended technique and promote the use of tracking systems are needed.

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Conflict of interest statement

None disclosed.

Figures
Figure 1

Perceived effectiveness of guaiac-based FOBT*…

Figure 1

Perceived effectiveness of guaiac-based FOBT* and immunochemical FOBT*. *FOBT = fecal occult blood…

Figure 1

Perceived effectiveness of guaiac-based FOBT* and immunochemical FOBT*. *FOBT = fecal occult blood test. Note: Vertical lines within bars indicate 95% confidence intervals around percentages.

Figure 2

Method of conducting FOBT* for…

Figure 2

Method of conducting FOBT* for screening, by physician specialty. *FOBT = fecal occult…

Figure 2

Method of conducting FOBT* for screening, by physician specialty. *FOBT = fecal occult blood test; FP = family physician; GP = general practitioner; OB/GYN = obstetrician gynecologist; IM = internist. Note: Vertical lines within bars indicate 95% confidence intervals around percentages.