Health Equity After a Colorectal Cancer Screening Program

Did an organized population-wide colorectal cancer screening program in Hong Kong contribute to overall participation and equity across socioeconomic groups?In this cross-sectional study of 14 602 adults aged 50 to 75 years who participated in surveys, participation in fecal testing and colonoscopy screening increased by 36% to 55% from 2014 to 2022 following program implementation to reach more than 27% of the eligible population. Concentration indices showed socioeconomic inequalities narrowed considerably, but lower participation was associated with younger age, single households, lower incomes, and less education.The study findings suggest that the population-wide availability of the screening program was associated with an increased overall uptake and narrowed disparities, but targeted efforts are needed for certain socioeconomic groups.

Corresponding Author: Jianchao Quan, MD, School of Public Health, 7 Sassoon Rd, LKS Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China (jquan@hku.hk).

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