A Pilot Colorectal Cancer Study Using Fecal Occult Blood Tests and Colonoscopy to Identify the Weaknesses of the Romanian Public Healthcare System before Implementing National Screening

Linda-Nicoleta Bărbulescu (), Stelian-Ștefăniță Mogoantă, Lucian-Florentin Bărbulescu, Constantin Kamal, Didi-Liliana Popa and Radu-Teodoru Popa
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Linda-Nicoleta Bărbulescu: Doctoral School, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
Stelian-Ștefăniță Mogoantă: Department of Surgery, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
Lucian-Florentin Bărbulescu: Department of Computers and Information Technology, University of Craiova, 200585 Craiova, Romania
Constantin Kamal: Department of Family Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Craiova, 200349 Craiova, Romania
Didi-Liliana Popa: Department of Computers and Information Technology, University of Craiova, 200585 Craiova, Romania
Radu-Teodoru Popa: Department of Computers and Information Technology, University of Craiova, 200585 Craiova, Romania

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate the feasibility of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening in the absence of a national screening program using the resources provided by the Romanian healthcare system. Study participants were recruited from adult patients (over 18 years old) registered with a general practitioner from an urban area over a period of 3 years (October 2019 to September 2022). Patients were recruited when they came for a consult at their family physician’s office. The study excluded patients with a medical history of colorectal cancer. Written consent was obtained from the patients who agreed to participate. Patients who agreed to participate were recommended to undergo a fecal occult blood test (FOBT). For those with a positive FOBT result, a colonoscopy was recommended. The study identified a need and willingness of patients to participate in CRC screening when they were informed about it, especially when it involved a noninvasive test such as FOB. We did not anticipate the refusal to perform FOBT in the public healthcare system because the recommendation was made by a GP. We identified a deficit of specialists that can perform colonoscopies in the public healthcare system, insufficient health education, and a lack of dedicated pathways for screening.

Keywords: colorectal cancer screening; family medicine; primary health care; preventive medicine; health education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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