Factors associated with the accurate self-report of cancer screening behaviors among women living in the rural Midwest region of the United States

This study examines the accuracy of the self-report of up-to-date cancer screening behaviors (Mammography, Papanicolaou (Pap)/Human Papillomavirus (HPV) tests, Fecal Occult Blood Test (FOBT)/Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT), Colonoscopy) compared to medical record documentation prior to eligibility determination and enrollment in a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to increase cancer screening among women living in rural counties of Indiana and Ohio. Women (n = 1,641) completed surveys and returned a medical record release form from November 2016-June 2019. We compared self-report to medical records for up-to-date cancer screening behaviors to determine the validity of self-report. Logistic regression models identified variables associated with accurate reporting. Women were up-to-date for mammography (75 %), Pap/HPV test (54 %), colonoscopy (53 %), and FOBT/FIT (6 %) by medical record. Although 39.6 % of women reported being up-to-date for all three anatomic sites (breast, cervix, and colon), only 31.8 % were up to date by medical records. Correlates of accurate reporting of up-to-date cancer screening varied by screening test. Approximately-one-third of women in rural counties in the Midwest are up-to-date for all three anatomic sites and correlates of the ac-curate reporting of screening varied by test. Although most investigators use medical records to verify completion of cancer screening behaviors as the primary outcome of intervention trials, they do not usually use medical records for the routine verification of study eligibility. Study results suggest that future research should use medical record documentation of cancer screening behaviors to determine eligibility for trials evaluating interventions to increase cancer screening.