The Digital Divide: A Retrospective Survey of Digital Rectal Examinations during the Workup of Rectal Cancers
<i>Background:</i> Digital rectal examination (DRE) is considered an important part of the physical examination. However, it is unclear how many patients have a DRE performed at the primary care level in the work-up of rectal cancer, and if the absence of a DRE causes a delay to consulta...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Healthcare |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/7/855 |
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| author | Omar Farooq Ameer Farooq Sunita Ghosh Raza Qadri Tanner Steed Mitch Quinton Nawaid Usmani |
| author_facet | Omar Farooq Ameer Farooq Sunita Ghosh Raza Qadri Tanner Steed Mitch Quinton Nawaid Usmani |
| author_sort | Omar Farooq |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background:</i> Digital rectal examination (DRE) is considered an important part of the physical examination. However, it is unclear how many patients have a DRE performed at the primary care level in the work-up of rectal cancer, and if the absence of a DRE causes a delay to consultation with a specialist. <i>Methods:</i> A retrospective patient questionnaire was sent to 1000 consecutive patients with stage II or stage III rectal cancer. The questionnaire asked patients to recall if they had a DRE performed by their general practitioner (GP) when they first presented with symptoms or a positive FIT test. Demographic data, staging data, and time to consultation with a specialist were also collected. <i>Results:</i> A thousand surveys were mailed out, and a total of 262 patients responded. Of the respondents, 46.2% did not recall undergoing a digital rectal examination by their primary care provider. Women were less likely to undergo a DRE than men (28.6% vs. 44.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.019). While there was a trend towards longer times to specialist consultation in patients who did not undergo a DRE (27.0 vs. 12.2 weeks), this was not statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.121). <i>Conclusion:</i> A significant proportion of patients who are FIT positive or have symptomatic rectal bleeding do not recall having a DRE by their primary care provider. Barriers may include lack of comfort with performing DRE or lack of time. Clearer guidelines and more support for GP’s may increase uptake of DRE. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:38:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2e4e21d2ef87465290123670736ad85c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2227-9032 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:38:01Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Healthcare |
| spelling | doaj.art-2e4e21d2ef87465290123670736ad85c2023-11-22T03:52:24ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322021-07-019785510.3390/healthcare9070855The Digital Divide: A Retrospective Survey of Digital Rectal Examinations during the Workup of Rectal CancersOmar Farooq0Ameer Farooq1Sunita Ghosh2Raza Qadri3Tanner Steed4Mitch Quinton5Nawaid Usmani6Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, CanadaSection of Colorectal Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaDepartment of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, CanadaDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, CanadaDepartment of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, CanadaDivision of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, CanadaDepartment of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1Z2, Canada<i>Background:</i> Digital rectal examination (DRE) is considered an important part of the physical examination. However, it is unclear how many patients have a DRE performed at the primary care level in the work-up of rectal cancer, and if the absence of a DRE causes a delay to consultation with a specialist. <i>Methods:</i> A retrospective patient questionnaire was sent to 1000 consecutive patients with stage II or stage III rectal cancer. The questionnaire asked patients to recall if they had a DRE performed by their general practitioner (GP) when they first presented with symptoms or a positive FIT test. Demographic data, staging data, and time to consultation with a specialist were also collected. <i>Results:</i> A thousand surveys were mailed out, and a total of 262 patients responded. Of the respondents, 46.2% did not recall undergoing a digital rectal examination by their primary care provider. Women were less likely to undergo a DRE than men (28.6% vs. 44.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.019). While there was a trend towards longer times to specialist consultation in patients who did not undergo a DRE (27.0 vs. 12.2 weeks), this was not statistically significant (<i>p</i> = 0.121). <i>Conclusion:</i> A significant proportion of patients who are FIT positive or have symptomatic rectal bleeding do not recall having a DRE by their primary care provider. Barriers may include lack of comfort with performing DRE or lack of time. Clearer guidelines and more support for GP’s may increase uptake of DRE.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/7/855digital rectal examination (DRE)rectal cancerprimary carephysical examinationrectal bleeding |
| spellingShingle | Omar Farooq Ameer Farooq Sunita Ghosh Raza Qadri Tanner Steed Mitch Quinton Nawaid Usmani The Digital Divide: A Retrospective Survey of Digital Rectal Examinations during the Workup of Rectal Cancers Healthcare digital rectal examination (DRE) rectal cancer primary care physical examination rectal bleeding |
| title | The Digital Divide: A Retrospective Survey of Digital Rectal Examinations during the Workup of Rectal Cancers |
| title_full | The Digital Divide: A Retrospective Survey of Digital Rectal Examinations during the Workup of Rectal Cancers |
| title_fullStr | The Digital Divide: A Retrospective Survey of Digital Rectal Examinations during the Workup of Rectal Cancers |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Digital Divide: A Retrospective Survey of Digital Rectal Examinations during the Workup of Rectal Cancers |
| title_short | The Digital Divide: A Retrospective Survey of Digital Rectal Examinations during the Workup of Rectal Cancers |
| title_sort | digital divide a retrospective survey of digital rectal examinations during the workup of rectal cancers |
| topic | digital rectal examination (DRE) rectal cancer primary care physical examination rectal bleeding |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/9/7/855 |
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