Table 2.
Screening attitudes and perceived influence on recommendations by screening type and patient age (n=126)a
| Prostate cancer screening
|
Colorectal cancer screening
|
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 70 years, mean (SD) | Age 90 years, mean (SD) | Age 70 years, mean (SD) | Age 90 years, mean (SD) | |
| Cancer-screening attitudes | ||||
| I would feel like I had done something wrong if I did not recommend that my patients have regular screening for (prostate/colorectal) cancer. | 2.4 (1.4) | 1.4 (0.8) | 4.1 (1.0) | 1.5 (0.8) |
| I do not feel any special responsibility to recommend screening for (prostate/colorectal) cancer.b | 2.8 (1.3) | 1.9 (1.3) | 4.4 (1.0) | 1.8 (1.2) |
| When it comes to recommending (prostate/colorectal) cancer screening, it is better to be safe than sorry. | 2.6 (1.2) | 1.5 (0.9) | 4.0 (1.0) | 1.8 (1.1) |
| Screening for (prostate/colorectal) cancer is just looking for trouble.b | 2.9 (1.1) | 1.8 (1.1) | 4.5 (0.8) | 2.3 (1.4) |
| I would regret not recommending (prostate/colorectal) cancer screening to a patient later diagnosed with (prostate/colorectal) cancer. | 3.5 (1.2) | 2.1 (1.2) | 4.4 (1.0) | 2.4 (1.2) |
| Summary scale | 2.8 (1.2) | 1.7(1.1) | 4.3 (0.9) | 1.9 (1.1) |
| Perceived influence of other factors on screening recommendations | ||||
| Clinical reminders/performance measures | 2.6 (0.1) | NA | 2.9 (0.1) | NA |
| Short patient visits | 2.1 (0.1) | NA | 2.0 (0.1) | NA |
| Worry about lawsuits | 2.3 (0.1) | NA | 2.1 (0.1) | NA |
Notes:
a
Response scales coded to range 1–5;
b
reverse-coded.
Abbreviation: NA, not assessed.