Abstract B034: Risk perception for colorectal cancer among Middle Eastern and African Muslim adults in Indianapolis

Abstract Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Immigrants from countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) face increased risk of CRC due to low utilization of preventive care. This study explores risk perception and associations with the uptake of CRC prevention services among MENA and SSA adults in Indianapolis. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 432 adults with interviewer-administered surveys in Arabic and English. Participants were screened for eligibility, informed of the purpose of the study and verbal consent was obtained to begin the questionnaire. Eligibility criteria included self- identification as a Muslim originally from a country in MENA or SSA, not born in the US, residence in the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area, and self-reported proficiency in either English or Arabic. Results: There were 200 males with mean age 37.6 years and 132 females with mean age 45.3 years. The overall risk perception of CRC among respondents was 44% (males = 46%, females = 42%) and 43% of eligible respondents (45 years and above) had undergone CRC screening services (males=46%, females=40%). Participants who were currently employed (aR=0.71, CI=0.54-0.83) and with completed high school education (OR=0.41, CI=0.32-0.53) were more likely to complete CRC screening. Uninsured participants (OR=1.62, CI=1.44-1.77 and those with past experiences of racial abuse (OR=1.51, CI=1.24-1.73) were the least likely to complete screening. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a need for tailored interventions based on the correlates of CRC screening and its uptake among respondents. Citation Format: Olanrewaju Onigbogi, Kebba Kah, Kolawole Okuyemi. Risk perception for colorectal cancer among Middle Eastern and African Muslim adults in Indianapolis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr B034.