S669 Language and Health Disparities: Examining Colorectal Cancer Risk and Colonoscopy Utilization in Non-English vs English-Speaking Populations

Introduction: The study explores disparities in colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and colonoscopy utilization between non-English and English-speaking populations. Methods: Propensity score matching was conducted on 2 cohorts: non-English speakers and English speakers. Matching adjusted for baseline demographics, including age, sex, ethnicity, and socioeconomic factors, as well as clinical variables such as alcohol use, nicotine dependence, family history of malignancy, and comorbid conditions. Outcomes assessed included CRC risk and colonoscopy rates. Odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated to determine the strength of associations. Results: We identified 118,949 patients in both cohorts. Baseline characteristics were similar between the cohorts after matching, with a mean age of 63.0 years (SD ±10.6) in the non-English cohort and 62.7 years (SD ±10.5) in the English cohort. The proportion of women was 58.9% in the non-English group and 59.3% in the English group, while Hispanic or Latino individuals comprised 74.2% and 74.7%, respectively. Non-English speakers exhibited a significantly higher risk of CRC compared to English speakers (OR 1.190, 95% CI 1.063–1.332, P = 0.003). Additionally, colonoscopy rates were lower among non-English speakers (OR 0.775, 95% CI 0.762–0.790, P < 0.001), suggesting disparities in preventive healthcare utilization. Conclusion: Non-English speakers face a heightened percentage of CRC alongside reduced colonoscopy rates compared to English speakers, despite similar baseline characteristics. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to bridge linguistic and cultural barriers in preventive healthcare.