Men's knowledge and beliefs about colorectal cancer and 3 screenings: education, race, and screening status.

Objective: To compare how education, race, and screening status affected men's knowledge about colorectal cancer and their views of 3 screenings: the fecal occult blood test (FOBT), sigmoidoscopy, and colonoscopy.

Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 65 African American and white men with diverse education backgrounds with similar numbers screened and unscreened.

Results: Education was associated with knowledge about colorectal cancer and the colonoscopy. Screening status and education were related to FOBT knowledge. Men knew little about the sigmoidoscopy.

Conclusions: Intervention programs should tailor education about colorectal cancer and screening by educational attainment levels, not by race.