Limited health literacy is a barrier to colorectal cancer screening in England: evidence from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To determine the association between health literacy and participation in publicly available colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in England using data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

Methods

ELSA is a population-based study of English adults aged ≥ 50 years. Health literacy, participation in the national CRC screening programme, and covariates were interview-assessed in 2010-11. All those age-eligible for screening from 2006 to 11 were included in the present analysis (n=3087). The association between health literacy and screening was estimated using multivariable-adjusted logistic regression.

Results

73% of participants had adequate health literacy skills. Screening uptake was 58% among those with adequate and 48% among those with limite

SUBMITTER: Kobayashi LC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3969575 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature