Abstract

Background and objectives:

        Over the past few years, studies have shown an increasing incidence and mortality rate of colorectal cancer (CRC). Therefore, the Health Promotion Administration has listed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) as a preventive health care service since 2010. The present study explored the potential relationship between a positive FIT result and CRC to provide references for improving the willingness of high-risk groups to receive cancer screening and thus shortening the follow-up period before diagnosis.

Methods:

        This study received the approval of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Health and Welfare Data Science Center (HWDC). A retrospective study design was adopted, and the study period was from 2010 to 2013. The research selected participants who were aged 50–75 and had been diagnosed with positive FIT results. A chi-square test was performed to elucidate the correlation between the demographic variables of citizens with positive FIT results and had CRC. Logistic regression was used to calculate the average follow-up period for a person with a positive FIT result has the person’s probability of having CRC. Additionally, odds ratio was used to determine the probability that a person with a positive FIT result who finished their follow-up examination within 90 days had CRC.

Results:

        The results revealed that among 103,003 people with positive FIT results, their gender, the location of medical institution where they received follow-up examination, their age, their family CRC history, and the FIT examination methods they received were significantly correlated with CRC occurrence (p < 0.001). Increase in the follow-up period by 1 day was found correlated with the a person’s probability of having CRC being 1 times higher than not having CRC when receiving a positive FIT result (p < 0.05). Finally, the odds ratio of CRC in people receiving the follow-up examination within 90 days was 1.023 times higher than that in people without CRC.

Conclusions:

         CRC prevention policies should promote health education, cultivate learners’ cancer health literacy, and strengthen citizens’ awareness of cancer risks, thus achieving the goal of early detection and treatment of cancer.