Prevention Magazine Teams With National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance On Colorectal Cancer Awareness Survey.

National Survey Reveals High-Risk Americans, Including Those Who Have Symptoms, Don't Understand Their Risk of Developing This Deadly Disease; Katie Couric, Cofounder NCCRA, and Ed Slaughter, Prevention Magazine Market Research

Director, Announce Survey Findings at the American Gastroenterological

Association's National Convention

SAN DIEGO, May 22 /PRNewswire/ --

Prevention Magazine and The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) announced today the results of their national survey "Public Awareness and Understanding of the Risk of Colorectal Cancer." The announcement was made by Katie Couric, Cofounder of NCCRA, and Ed Slaughter, Prevention magazine market research director.

The survey, solely funded by Prevention magazine, found that a large majority (69%) of people underestimate their risk for developing colorectal cancer. Even among high-risk groups, such as adults 50-plus and African- Americans, the majority underestimate their risk of developing this deadly disease.

"This Prevention magazine survey proves that more public awareness for colorectal cancer is needed," said Couric. "The number of people who experience symptoms of the disease and still think they are not likely to develop it is shocking."

Also shocking is the finding that only one-third (33%) of those who have two or more symptoms say their doctor has spoken with them about the possibility of having colorectal cancer.

"The good news is that due to the efforts of groups such as the NCCRA, awareness of colorectal cancer is high," said Slaughter. "The bad news is that not enough doctors are talking to their patients. Adults need to take charge of their health and initiate conversations about colorectal cancer with their doctors."

Information in this report comes from a nationwide telephone survey conducted with Prevention magazine by Princeton Survey Research Associates, Inc. Interviews were completed with 1,001 adults age 18 or older during the period of January 21 to 31, 2000. The sample includes an oversample of 424 African-American adults. The oversample is included in order to allow for sufficient analysis of African-Americans who are at high risk of developing colorectal cancer.

The Majority of the Nation's Adults (86%) Are Aware of Colorectal Cancer

Awareness is high across demographic groups, including those at high risk of developing this cancer.

The Majority of Adults (70%) Believe The Disease Can Be Successfully Treated

It is also important to note that 30 percent (an estimated 55.8 million adults) do not hold this view.

-- Boomers (79%) are more likely than either Gen X'ers (64%) or Matures

(67%) to think colorectal cancer can be successfully treated.

-- Adults whose doctors have talked to them about colorectal cancer are

more likely to believe it can be successfully treated (89% vs. 63%).

Nation's Adults Do Not Understand Their Risk of Developing Colorectal Cancer

Despite statistics from the National Institute of Health and the National Cancer Institute showing that it is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths.

Awareness is also low among groups at increased risk of developing colorectal cancer, e.g. persons 50 or older, African-Americans, and those with symptoms.

-- Only 4 percent of adults think it is very likely they will ever

develop the disease, and only an additional 19 percent consider it

somewhat likely.

-- Only 8 percent of all adults who have experienced two or more symptoms

of colorectal cancer believe they are very likely to develop this

disease, while an additional 29 percent think they are somewhat

likely.

-- Only 6 percent of adults age 50 or older think it is very likely they

will develop colorectal cancer, and 25 percent think it is somewhat

likely -- despite the fact that 93% of all cases occur after age 50!

-- Only 4 percent of African-Americans think they are very likely to

develop this disease, and only 17 percent think it's somewhat likely

-- despite the fact that African-American men are more likely than men

of other racial and ethnic groups to die of this disease.

Adults Need to Take Charge of Their Own Health

Doctors are not typically discussing colorectal cancer with their patients, even when patients are at high risk of developing the disease. There is a clear need for the nation's adults to take charge of their own health and initiate these conversations with their doctors.

-- 73 percent of the nation's adults say their doctor has not discussed

colorectal cancer with them.

-- 69 percent of adults who have experienced symptoms of colorectal 

cancer say their doctor has not discussed this disease with them.

-- 78 percent of African-Americans say their doctor has not discussed

colorectal cancer with them.

-- 56 percent of adults 50 or older say their doctor has not discussed

the disease with them.

The National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance (NCCRA) was created just three months ago by Katie Couric, Lilly Tartikoff, and Lisa Paulsen, president and CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation to increase awareness of the nation's third-leading cause of cancer death and to raise millions of dollars for advancing the latest cutting-edge colorectal cancer research. The NCCRA has already raised more than $10 million in its first few months. All of the money raised by the NCCRA goes into public awareness and education programs, and to fund the most-cutting edge research into colorectal cancer treatments.

The market research division of Prevention magazine, America's leading health magazine and the 14th largest magazine in the nation, conducts national surveys examining important public health issues, preventive health, and self- care in the United States. These surveys include the second annual DTC survey examining consumer's reactions to DTC advertising; a survey examining consumer's use and understanding of dietary supplements; a survey on women's knowledge of osteoporosis and awareness of its risk factors; and a 9-year trend study on how nutrition and health concerns affect the nation's food- purchase decisions.