Indicator Gauge Icon Legend
Legend Colors
Red is bad, green is good, blue is not statistically different/neutral.
Compared to Distribution
the value is in the best half of communities.
the value is in the 2nd worst quarter of communities.
the value is in the worst quarter of communities.
Compared to Target
meets target; 
does not meet target.
Compared to a Single Value
lower than the comparison value;
higher than the comparison value;
not statistically different from comparison value.
Trend
non-significant change over time; 
significant change over time; 
no change over time.
Compared to Prior Value
higher than the previous measurement period;
lower than the previous measurement period;
no statistically different change from previous measurement period.
Significantly better than the overall value
Significantly worse than the overall value
No significant difference with the overall value
No data on significance available
Colon Cancer Screening: Sigmoidoscopy Past 5 Years and FOBT Past 3 Years, Colonoscopy Past 10 Years, or FOBT Past Year
This indicator is archived and is no longer being updated. Click to learn more
This indicator shows the percentage of respondents aged 50-75 who have had either a fecal occult blood test in the past year, a sigmoidoscopy in the past five years AND a fecal occult blood test in the past three years, or a colonoscopy exam in the past ten years.
Why is this important?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colorectal cancer--cancer of the colon or rectum-- is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States, and is the third leading cancer killer in the United States. The CDC estimates that if all adults aged 50 or older had regular screening tests for colon cancer, as many as 60% of the deaths from colorectal cancer could be prevented. Risks and benefits of using different screening methods, such as stool-based tests, sigmoidoscopies, and colonoscopies, vary. The US Preventive Service Task Forces recommends that screening begin at age 45 and continue until age 75; however, testing may need to begin earlier or be more frequent if colorectal cancer runs in the family, or if there is a previous diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. Speak with a doctor about when to begin screening and how often to be tested.
This is a Healthy People 2030 Leading Health Indicator.
| Census Place | Source | Measurement Period | Percent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
There are 42 Census Place values. The lowest value is 39.2%, and the highest value is 77.1%.
Half of the values are between 52% and 66.1%.
The middle (median) value is 56.2%.
Data Source
- CDC - PLACES
Note: This source uses Zip Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) for its Zip Code data. Learn more
Maintained By: Conduent Healthy Communities Institute (Methodology)
Filed under: Health / Cancer, Health / Older Adults, Clinical Care, Adults, Older Adults