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Katie Couric Colonoscopy

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When Katie Couric had a live colonoscopy on air in March of 2000, she increased public awareness of colon cancer screening. Interestingly, she also increased the rate at which the country went for having their own colonoscopies. This was the findings from the University of Michigan, in which researchers studied the rates of colonoscopy before and after Katie had her colonoscopy done on air. The Katie Couric colonoscopy effects have been since referred to as the Katie Couric Effect. People had increased numbers of colonoscopies for at least a year after the show aired. Those that had increased numbers of colonoscopies matched the demographics of those who watch the show.

Colonoscopy Increase

What wasn’t clear was whether or not those who had colonoscopies after the Katie Couric colonoscopy were the same as those at high risk and actually needing colonoscopies. Colonoscopy is, of course, recommended for people aged 50 and over and those with a strong family history of colon polyps or colon cancer.

The study was done by looking at twenty two states and 42 sites that do colonoscopy, starting at twenty months before the Katie Couric colonoscopy. The results showed an increase in colonoscopy after Katie Couric had hers.

Colon cancer is relatively common with 130,200 Americans diagnosed each year. Of those about 56,000 will die of the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute. Some people find out that they have the disease because they are having bleeding from the rectum or abdominal pain. This is late stage colon cancer and is less survivable than when the cancer is detected in smaller polyps in the colon.

Katie Couric became a crusader of colon cancer after her husband, Jay Monahan, died of colon cancer at age 42. The show spent a week discussing colon cancer awareness and culminated in a Katie Couric colonoscopy live on air. The test, millions of people who are at risk of colon cancer neglect, was shown not to be as embarrassing, uncomfortable or invasive as most people think.

The researchers cited Katie Couric and her colonoscopy as bringing attention to a test that can both prevent colon cancer and treat colon cancer in its earliest stages, besides identifying those who need further surgery for treating the cancer.

Her participation in the colonoscopy went as far as changing the behavior of thousands of people who had colonoscopies and wouldn’t have had one if they had not seen Katie Couric have her colonoscopy on television. Because she herself is healthy, it pointed out the fact that it doesn’t take ill health to have a screening test like a colonoscopy.

Statistics

In the study, among 400 gastroenterologists, the number of colonoscopies per month increased from an average of 15 to an average of more than 18 per month. In an HMO, the number of members per thousand who got a colonoscopy rose from 1.3 to 1.8 in the months following the Katie Couric colonoscopy. The number of females who underwent the procedure increased from 43 percent to 47 percent. Younger patients participated in having a colonoscopy and there was an increase in those having a colonoscopy under the age of 50.

While people under the age of fifty have been shown to have less effect from having the disease, there are patients like Jay Monahan who get the disease at a younger age and many die from it because it is so unexpected to get the disease that it is often not found until late in the stage. These, however, shouldn’t get a colonoscopy unless there is a strong family history of colonoscopy at a young age.

The Katie Couric colonoscopy did much to increase awareness of colon cancer and colon cancer screening. The on air colonoscopy has been repeated by other celebrities, hopefully with similar increases in awareness of colon cancer.

Also see Katie Couric colon Cancer.

Written by Christine Traxler

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