Open AccessFactors affecting faecal immunochemical test positive rates: demographic, pathological, behavioural and environmental variables
Author(s) -
Erin L. Symonds,
Joanne M. Osborne,
Stephen R. Cole,
Peter A. Bampton,
Robert Fraser,
Graeme P. Young
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of medical screening
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1475-5793
pISSN - 0969-1413
DOI - 10.1177/0969141315584783
Subject(s) - medicine , confidence interval , colonoscopy , logistic regression , odds ratio , demographics , socioeconomic status , demography , multivariate analysis , cohort , colorectal cancer , cancer , environmental health , population , sociology
Objectives Positive rates in faecal immunochemical test (FIT)-based colorectal cancer screening programmes vary, suggesting that differences between programmes may affect test results. We examined whether demographic, pathological, behavioural, and environmental factors affected haemoglobin concentration and positive rates where samples are mailed.Methods A retrospective cohort study; 34,298 collection devices were sent, over five years, to screening invitees (median age 60.6). Participant demographics, temperature on sample postage day, and previous screening were recorded. Outcomes from colonoscopy performed within a year following FIT were collected. Multivariate logistic regression identified significant predictors of test positivity.Results Higher positive rate was independently associated with male gender, older age, lower socioeconomic status, and distally located neoplasia, and negatively associated with previous screening (p 0.05).Conclusions Haemoglobin concentrations, and therefore FIT positivity, were affected by factors that vary between screening programmes. Participant demographics and high temperature at postage had significant effects. The impact of temperature could be reduced by seasonal scheduling of invitations. The importance of screening, and following up positive test results, particularly in older males, should be promoted.