Black Americans are 20 percent more likely to get colorectal cancer and 40 percent more likely to die from it than most other groups, according to research by the American Cancer Society.
Harris Poll, on behalf of Olympus, recently released additional research around colorectal cancer. The research is based on survey results from 2,027 U.S. adults polled between Feb. 23 and Feb. 27, according to a news release shared with Becker's.
Here are seven things to know about colon cancer disparities:
1. Black and Hispanic Americans are less likely than white counterparts to know that colon cancer screenings should start at 45. About 59 percent of Black Americans and 56 percent of Hispanic Americans were aware, compared to 68 percent of white Americans.
2. About 31 percent of Black Americans and 30 percent of Hispanic Americans incorrectly believe only those at high-risk of developing colon cancer need to get screenings.
3. Black Americans and Hispanic Americans would not want people to know they were planning a colonoscopy at twice the rate of their white counterparts.
4. More than half (53 percent) of Black Americans surveyed incorrectly believe at-home stool-based tests are the gold standard for colon cancer screenings, despite colonoscopies being the real standard.
5. Black Americans surveyed cited fear of the procedure (62 percent), fear of the results (54 percent), and people thinking they don't need it (48 percent) among the biggest barriers preventing people from getting a colonoscopy.
6. Eighty-five percent of all Americans believe the health benefits of getting a colonoscopy far exceed the discomfort of the procedure.
7. Twenty-two percent of all Americans believe only those at high-risk need colonoscopies.