Health Beliefs, Knowledge, and Perceived Barriers of Colorectal Cancer Screening Practices Among African Americans

Research indicates that African Americans have the highest death rate and shortest survival rate of any ethnic or racial group in the Unites States for most cancers. Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in men and women. The literature reveals that the primary cause of higher mortality and incidence rates is the lack of participation in colorectal cancer screening activities. This descriptive study examined the health beliefs, knowledge, and perceived barriers of colorectal cancer screening practices among African Americans. Using the Health Belief Model as the theoretical framework, and Champion's Health Belief Model scale, information regarding the health beliefs, knowledge, and perceived barriers of colorectal cancer screening among 13 African American men and women living in western North Carolina was obtained. The results of this study indicate that the majority of African Americans participated in sigmoidoscopy/colonoscopy colorectal cancer screening and were knowledgeable about when this type of screening needs to begin and how often it should occur. Future research should be conducted replicating this study using a larger, representative sample in order to understand the relationship between colorectal knowledge and screening practices among African Americans. The aim is to increase colorectal cancer screening among African Americans and ultimately decrease the rate of mortality from this cancer.;Keywords: Colorectal cancer, Colorectal cancer screening, African Americans, Health Belief Model, knowledge.