Colorectal carcinoma mortality among Appalachian men and women, 1969-1999.

Background: Colorectal carcinoma screening can reduce mortality, but residents of poor or medically underserved areas may face barriers to screening. The current study assessed colorectal carcinoma mortality in Appalachia, a historically underserved area, from 1969 to 1999.

Methods: All counties within the 13-state Appalachian region, which stretches from southern New York to northern Mississippi, were used to calculate annual death rates for the 31-year period.