A new study from the CDC published in Preventing Chronic Disease showed the rates for cancer screenings like those for colorectal cancer have improved, but are still below CDC targets, Medscape reported.
The researchers analyzed data on cancer screening rates from the National Health Interview Survey conducted through the Census Bureau for 2000 through 2015 and compared it to the targets set by the CDC's Healthy People 2020 goals.
Here are three study takeaways:
1. Out of all types of cancer screenings included in the study, only colorectal cancer screening rates increased during the years studied. Among women aged 50 to 75 years old, 63.4 percent reported a recent colorectal screening test — for men it was 61.9 percent. The CDC's goal for 2020 is 70 percent.
2. Those without health insurance, are low income or face other barriers such as not having a primary care physician were the least likely to have had a cancer screening.
3. "Our analysis of the 2015 NHIS showed that halfway through the Healthy People 2020 decade, estimates for use of cervical, breast and colorectal cancer screening tests are well below Healthy People 2020 targets," the authors wrote.
Click here to read the full study.