Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening isn’t always a relished birthday activity, but it should be if you are turning 50 and even sooner if you are at increased risk for colorectal cancer. This is why screening at the right time is so important. In Kentuckiana, 44 percent of people 50 and older are not getting the recommended screening.
The lack of screening increases CRC incidents and deaths. According to the Colon Cancer Prevention Project, colorectal cancer is 90 percent curable if caught early. Despite the effectiveness of screening, Kentucky leads the nation in CRC prevalence and is fourth in the nation for CRC deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). If more Kentuckians were screened according to recommended guidelines, many of these cases could be avoided.
As a partner on the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s Organized Approaches to Increase Colorectal Cancer Screening (CRC) grant, the Kentuckiana Health Collaborative distributes annual individual provider and group practice reports throughout the Commonwealth of Kentucky on colorectal cancer screening rates. We are also working with our network of local employers to provide resources for improving CRC screening rates. A new KHC Colorectal Cancer Screening Resource for Employers webpage has been created to provide businesses with tools to improve their CRC screening rates.
Providers and employers are powerful forces for driving improved colorectal screening rates in Kentucky and Kentuckiana!
