Abstract B15: Colorectal cancer knowledge and adherence among Hispanic workers

Background: Hispanics report the lowest CRC screening rate of any ethnic group in the United States. Hispanics comprise 14% of Utah's population and are growing rapidly. Most of the Hispanics in Utah are foreign-born immigrants who work low-wage jobs that do not offer health benefits, making them a high-risk population for low CRC screening rates. We partnered with companies in Salt Lake County with a large Hispanic employee population to implement an educational intervention to improve knowledge of and adherence to cancer screenings. We identify demographic predictors of CRC knowledge and adherence pre-intervention, and of improvements in adherence post-intervention. Methods: Current and previous employees of service/manual labor companies (e.g., professional cleaning, restaurants, construction) were recruited by local businesses and community organizations. Promotoras held educational sessions at the local businesses. Pre- and post-interviews measured CRC screening knowledge, adherence, demographics, and perceptions of CRC risk. Interviews were conducted in person or on the phone within 10 months of the intervention. Participants aged ≥50 were given FOBT/FIT tests. Chi-square tests examined differences in knowledge among participants and adherence preintervention. Multivariable logistic regression models identified predictors of knowledge, awareness, and adherence preintervention, and identified characteristics associated with improvements in adherence post-intervention. Results: We recruited 307 Hispanic employees. 95% of our population were Hispanic immigrants, 88% speak Spanish, 64% make $25,000 or less a year, and 70% do not have health insurance. 40% of adults aged ≥50 were adherent to CRC screening guidelines before the intervention; after the intervention, 66% of eligible adults were adherent, with the majority of the improvement in FOBT/FIT tests. We found significant differences in initial knowledge of CRC among participants aged 18 to 49 years (51%) vs age ≥50 years (85%, p Conclusions: Knowledge of CRC screenings among Hispanics is related to older age, education, and insurance. Providing FOBT/FIT yielded significant improvements in adherence. Ensuring that Hispanics have access to health insurance and affordable CRC screenings is a critical factor in improving CRC screenings in this vulnerable population. Citation Format: Judy Y. Ou, Anne C. Kirchhoff, Echo L. Warner, Laura Martel, Deanna Kepka. Colorectal cancer knowledge and adherence among Hispanic workers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B15.