TABLE 4.
Methods of detecting colorectal cancer before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic
| Method | Before COVID‐19 N (%) | During COVID‐19 N (%) | Change, % | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | ||||
| Fecal occult blood test | 1055 (29.6%) | 837 (26.2%) | −3.4 | .002 |
| Abdominal symptoms | 1797 (50.4%) | 1658 (51.8%) | 1.4 | .223 |
| Anemia | 520 (14.6%) | 514 (16.1%) | 1.5 | .091 |
| Accidental | 290 (8.1%) | 240 (7.5%) | −0.6 | .365 |
| Institutions with >100 annual colorectal cancer surgeries | ||||
| Fecal occult blood test | 794 (30.2%) | 624 (26.6%) | −3.6 | .006 |
| Abdominal symptoms | 1322 (50.3%) | 1218 (52.0%) | 1.7 | .233 |
| Anemia | 326 (12.4%) | 331 (14.1%) | 1.7 | .078 |
| Accidental | 190 (7.2%) | 160 (6.8%) | −0.4 | .617 |
| Institutions with ≤100 annual colorectal cancer surgeries | ||||
| Fecal occult blood test | 261 (27.8%) | 213 (24.9%) | −2.9 | .180 |
| Abdominal symptoms | 475 (50.6%) | 440 (51.5%) | 0.9 | .741 |
| Anemia | 194 (20.7%) | 183 (21.4%) | 0.7 | .728 |
| Accidental | 100 (10.7%) | 80 (9.4%) | −1.3 | .387 |
P‐values were determined with the Fisher’s exact test.