Primary care physicians and disparities in colorectal cancer screening in the elderly.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine whether having a primary care physician (PCP) is associated with reduced ethnic disparities for colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and whether clustering of minorities within PCPs contributes to the disparities.

Data sources/study setting

Retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries age 66-75 in 2009 in Texas.

Study design

The percentage of beneficiaries up to date in CRC screening in 2009 was stratified by race/ethnicity. Multilevel models were used to study the effect of having a PCP and PCP characteristics on the racial and ethnic disparities on CRC screening.

Data collection/extraction methods

Medicare data from 2000 to 2009 were used to assess prior CRC screening.

Principal findings

Odds of undergoing CRC screening were m

SUBMITTER: Singal AK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3480966 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature