Bowel cancer researcher Nick Clarke
“I mean, it’s pretty simple to do, just take the little stick and … It’s not exactly rocket science.”
“It was easy enough... Yeah, you just prepare whatever you have to do upstairs and do it.”
[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_large","fid":"5562","attributes":{"alt":"Irish Cancer Society researcher Nick Clarke","class":"media-image","height":"417","style":"line-height: 1.4; width: 150px; height: 209px; float: right;","width":"300"}}]]These are just a small sample of quotes from men and women who took a simple routine test to screen for bowel cancer. They shared their experience with Irish Cancer Society researcher Nick Clarke, who has been asking the question – are Irish men less likely to take part in bowel screening than women?
As part of this research Nick interviewed close to 50 participants in a pilot bowel screening programme. And so far his results suggest that Irish men are indeed less likely to take part in screening.
His results, published in the scientific journal, Psycho-Oncology, in February, suggest that men and women respond differently when invited to take part in screening, with men less likely to take part.
These behavioural differences are not unique to Ireland as other international studies suggest that men are 17% less likely to take part in bowel cancer screening programmes.
This Irish Cancer Society- funded research, however, also found that many of the 50 men and women who took part in this pilot screening programme were happy to take the test and found it simple to do.
Why is this research important? Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in Ireland and men are at greater risk of bowel cancer than women. Bowel cancer, however, is very treatable if detected early. To help detect this cancer earlier, men and women aged 60-69 across the country are being invited for screening through the BowelScreen programme.
Are you at risk of bowel cancer? Learn more at www.cancer.ie/bowel.
