Table 1.

Baseline characteristics of the nested colorectal cancer case-control study in the Southern Community Cohort Study, recruited from 12 southeastern states between 2002 and 2009

	Controls (N=370)		Colorectal cancer cases (N=188)		H. pylori− (N=72)		H. pylori+ (N=486)
	N	%	N	%	N	%	N	%
Age, years
40–49	96	26.0	45	23.9	22	30.6	119	24.5
50–59	152	41.1	79	42.0	27	37.5	204	42.0
60–79	122	33.0	64	34.0	23	31.9	163	33.5
Race †
African American	288	77.8	145	77.1	35	48.6	398	81.9
White	69	18.7	36	19.2	34	47.2	71	14.6
Other	13	3.5	7	3.7	3	4.2	17	3.5
Sex
Male	167	45.1	86	45.7	33	45.8	220	45.3
Female	203	54.9	102	54.3	39	54.2	266	54.7
Marital status
Married	127	35.1	52	28.1	24	35.3	155	32.4
Separated/Divorced	133	36.7	64	34.6	25	36.8	172	35.9
Widowed	42	11.6	31	16.8	8	11.8	65	13.6
Single/Never married	60	16.6	38	20.5	11	16.2	87	18.2
Education †
<High school	143	39.5	80	43.2	18	26.5	205	42.8
High school	137	37.9	67	36.2	22	32.4	182	38.0
>High school	82	22.7	38	20.5	28	41.2	92	19.2
Household income †
<$15,000	225	62.7	121	66.5	34	50.0	312	66.0
$15,000 – <$25,000	84	23.4	38	20.9	18	26.5	104	22.0
$25,000 – <$50,000	37	10.3	18	9.9	11	16.2	44	9.3
≥$50,000	13	3.6	5	2.8	5	7.4	13	2.8
Smoking status*
Current smoker	150	41.4	57	30.8	24	35.3	183	38.2
Former smoker	110	30.4	60	32.4	24	35.3	146	30.5
Never smoker	102	28.2	68	36.8	20	29.4	150	31.3
Body mass index
18.3 – 24.9	91	25.2	36	20.0	15	22.7	112	23.6
25.0 – 29.9	102	28.3	64	35.6	21	31.8	145	30.5
≥30.0	168	46.5	80	44.4	30	45.5	218	45.9
Medical conditions
Hypertension	222	61.7	110	59.5	40	58.8	292	61.2
Diabetes	100	27.7	65	35.1	18	26.5	147	30.8
High cholesterol †	129	35.8	70	38.3	35	51.5	164	34.5
COPD	37	10.3	27	14.6	10	14.7	54	11.3
Asthma	37	10.3	23	12.4	9	13.2	51	10.7
Allergies	80	22.2	41	22.2	17	25.0	104	21.8
Colorectal polyps	21	5.8	12	6.5	6	8.8	27	5.7
Heartburn/reflux	90	25.0	44	23.8	20	29.4	114	23.9
Ulcer	61	16.9	33	17.9	11	16.2	83	17.4
Family history of:
Colorectal cancer	21	5.6	16	8.5	3	4.2	34	7.0
Gastric cancer	12	3.2	11	5.9	3	4.2	20	4.1
Regular use of:
Aspirin †	123	34.2	72	38.9	33	49.3	162	33.9
Acetaminophen	48	13.3	27	14.6	10	14.7	65	13.6
Have insurance
No	141	39.2	76	41.3	26	38.8	191	40.0
Yes	219	60.8	108	58.7	41	61.2	286	60.0
Ever CRC screeninga
No	242	68.0	135	74.2	40	61.5	337	71.3
Yes	114	32.0	47	25.8	25	38.5	136	28.8
Fruit & veg intake, times/day
0–2	151	41.9	67	36.4	30	44.8	188	39.4
3–4	144	40.0	82	44.6	27	40.3	199	41.7
5+	65	18.1	35	19.0	10	14.9	90	18.9
Meat intake, times/day
0	22	6.1	16	8.7	7	10.5	31	6.5
1–2	256	71.1	129	70.1	51	76.1	334	70.0
3+	82	22.8	39	21.2	9	13.4	112	23.5
Alcohol, drinks per day
None	176	49.3	98	53.6	31	46.3	243	51.4
1–2	127	35.6	62	33.9	29	43.3	160	33.8
3+	54	15.1	23	12.6	7	10.5	70	14.8
Vitamin supplement use †
No	211	58.9	107	58.2	29	43.3	289	60.8
Yes	147	41.1	77	41.9	38	56.7	186	39.2

^*P<0.05 comparing colorectal cancer cases and controls

^†P<0.05 comparing individuals by H. pylori status

^adefined as ever had a sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy (standard screening vs. diagnostic screening not distinguishable)