Colonoscopy-Specific Fears in African Americans and Hispanics

Although fears of colonoscopy may deter African Americans and Hispanics from having a screening colonoscopy, little is known about these fears. This study sought to: (1) identify the proportion of African Americans and Hispanics who experience colonoscopy-specific fears; and, (2) identify factors associated with these fears. Data were collected at an academic hospital in New York City between the years of 2008-2010. Following a primary care visit, African Americans (N=383) and Hispanics (N=407) who received a recommendation for a screening colonoscopy completed a questionnaire that assessed: colonoscopy-specific fears (e.g., fear of the pain associated with the colonoscopy), demographics, and psychological variables. Presence of colonoscopy-specific fears was endorsed by 79.5% of participants. Multiple regression analyses revealed that being female (p