Patient vs. physician as the target of educational outreach about screening for an inherited susceptibility to colorectal cancer.

Are patients identified from a cancer registry better educated directly or via their physician about screening for an inherited susceptibility for colorectal cancer? Of 974 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer at < or = 60 years from 1987 to 1999 in a five-county area including Rochester, the physicians of 651 patients (67%) forwarded a cancer family history survey to their patient; 459 (71%) completed the survey. Of these 459, 167 (36%) reported having at least one first- or second-degree relative with colon cancer and were sent a set of questionnaires and a more detailed family cancer history form. Of the 167, a total of 101 (60%) continued to qualify by returning the questionnaires.

The development, reliability, and validity of a rating scale of stage-based behavioral counseling for STD/HIV prevention.

This article reports on the development of a scale to evaluate skills for performing Stage-based Behavioral Counseling. This intervention is an adaptation of the Stage of Change/Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change Theory and is used to promote behavior change for STD and HIV prevention. Eleven essential skill items were identified that combine to characterize the overall skill of performing this method of behavioral counseling.