Colonoscopy rates have largely returned to pre-pandemic levels, but the recovery has not been equal across racial and ethnic groups, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
Researchers analyzed National Health Interview Survey data from 2019, 2021 and 2023 to identify changes in colorectal cancer screening.
Here are three notes from the study:
- Colonoscopy use has rebounded to pre-pandemic levels overall except among Asian Americans.
- Stool-based screening tests rose in popularity through 2023, which offset the drop in colorectal cancer screening during the pandemic.
- Researchers flagged stool-based testing as a concern as prior studies have shown nearly one in two patients with a positive stool test do not complete follow-up colonoscopy.
Read the full study here.
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