Knowledge of Colorectal Cancer Risk and Cancer Screening, with Colorectal Cancer Screening Attendance: A Nationwide Study in Japan (INFORM Study, 2020)

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, participation rates in Japan remain low. Although knowledge about CRC has been identified as a predictor of screening uptake, data specific to the Japanese population remain limited. We aimed to examine the associations between knowledge of CRC risk factors and knowledge of cancer screening, with CRC screening attendance in Japan. METHODS: A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,966 Japanese adults aged 40-69 years. Associations between correct answers on CRC risk factors and cancer screening, and CRC screening attendance were analyzed using multiple logistic regression, adjusting for relevant covariates. RESULTS: Seventy percent of participants had undergone CRC screening. A significant positive linear association was observed between knowledge of CRC risk factors and CRC screening attendance (P for trend < 0.01). Similarly, greater knowledge of cancer screening was significantly associated with higher attendance (P for trend < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Accurate knowledge of CRC risk factors and cancer screening was positively associated with CRC screening attendance. These findings show the importance of disseminating accurate information to the Japanese population; however, further prospective studies are needed to examine this association more thoroughly.