older blacks and Hispanic Americans are less likely than whites to get colorectal cancer screening, even though Medicare has extended the coverage of tests such as colonoscopy and occult blood testinga new study has found.
Researchers examined data between 1996 and 2005 U.S. National Cancer Institute to determine the rate of cancer colorectal screening among elderly Medicare beneficiaries of 70 to 89 no history of cancer.
Blacks were less likely than whites to receive screening for colorectal cancer before and after Medicare covered occult blood and after coverage of colonoscopy, according to the school of the University of Texas for the study of public health.
Also, the researchers found that Hispanics were less likely than whites to receive screening for colorectal cancer after Medicare has provided coverage of colonoscopy.
The study is published in the latest issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention.
"Screening for colorectal cancer increased as expanded Medicare coverage." However, the screening rates were still low as recommended, "study author Aricia White, an agent for service epidemic in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in a press release of the American Association for Cancer Research."
"More efforts must be deployed to increase among all beneficiaries [Medicare] screening of colorectal cancer", she added.
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