Originally published August 6 2005
Poor people are less likely to be screened for colon cancer
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
A new study has found that the percentage of people getting screened for colon cancer is much lower than it should be and is the lowest in poorer communities.
Approximately half of those over 50 years old are not getting screened for colorectal cancer, and figures are much worse for patients who are minorities or underprivileged, according to a New York study.
The findings, published in Cancer online 25th July 2005 (September print issue), show that a mere 55 percent of the 10,000 adults polled via telephone stated that they had undergone a screening within the recommended stage of their lives.
Furthermore, 52 percent of Blacks and Hispanics and only 36 percent of Asian patients were receiving proper screenings.
They also found that patients with higher income and education levels were more likely to get screened, yet only 24 percent of patients without health insurance received necessary screenings.
Colorectal cancer is often caused by benign polyps that develop in the body.
Because polyps take awhile to advance to colon cancer, early screening denotes a likely chance that the polyps can be removed before they become cancerous.
Lorna E. Thorpe, head author of the study, states that the findings in New York represent a societal problem regarding the stigma associated with a colonoscopy.
She believes that increasing awareness concerning the invasive procedure and the benefits that will come of it is the key toward boosting screening rates.
"People have done a great job of promoting mammography, and this is probably ...
So we need to do a better job of education, to decrease fears and concerns and reemphasize the importance of getting screened for colon cancer."
All content posted on this site is commentary or opinion and is protected under Free Speech. Truth Publishing LLC takes sole responsibility for all content. Truth Publishing sells no hard products and earns no money from the recommendation of products. NaturalNews.com is presented for educational and commentary purposes only and should not be construed as professional advice from any licensed practitioner. Truth Publishing assumes no responsibility for the use or misuse of this material. For the full terms of usage of this material, visit www.NaturalNews.com/terms.shtml