Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is strongly recommended as early diagnosis improves survival and reduces mortality. However, the adherence in general population is about 50% and even lower among physicians.
Objective: 1) To estimate the percentage of physicians that had done a screening test. 2) To estimate the frequency of tests used by these professionals.
Methods: We conducted an anonymous survey among 269 physicians, 50-year-old or more, from four hospitals and four scientific conventions in 2008. This validated survey included specialty, family history, compliance to screening, clinical features at screening, age, tests used reasons for having or not done the tests and results.
Results: Twenty-four hundred and two data surveys were included (response rate 90%). Average age was 58+6 years. Specialties were Internal Medicine (72%), Surgery (18%) and others (9%). One hundred physicians had a test done [41% (IC95% 35-47)]. The most used test was colonoscopy [70% (IC 95% 60-78)], followed by barium enema [10% (IC 95% 5-18)]. From screened physicians, 36% had family history of CRC, 63% did not and 1% was unaware of this antecedent. Physicians referred the following reasons for not being compliant: personal decision, fear of the procedure, insufficient knowledge of guidelines and lack of time.
Conclusions: The compliance of physicians to CRC screening is suboptimal. New strategies should be implemented to achieve changes in health habits of physicians and compliance to preventive strategies.