The Center for Health Statistics of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services conducted a behavioral risk factor survey each year from 1991 through 1999 among a sample of New Jersey residents, the New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (NJBRFSS). The survey included questions for residents about receiving colorectal cancer screening services. Data are presented in Table 12 below from the most recent surveys, 1997 and 1999. Generally, among residents age 50 and over, a higher percentage of women than men are conducting the blood stool test with a home kit, but a higher percentage of men than women are having sigmoidoscopies. However, the majority of New Jersey residents age 50 and over had not ever had a stool test nor a sigmoidoscopy. An even higher percentage had not had these screenings at the recommended time intervals. (See Table 12 and Appendix I Recommendations Regarding Screening for Colorectal Cancer.) (Note: Data are not included by race because the number of blacks included in the survey was not sufficiently large.)

Table 12
Percent Of New Jersey Residents Age 50 And Over
Who Have Had Colorectal Cancer Screening
By Gender, 1997 And 1999*

TYPE OF SCREENING	PERCENT OF MALES		PERCENT OF FEMALES
	1997	1999	1997	1999
Ever had a blood stool test from a home kit?	32.9	41.2	38.4	47.0
Had blood stool test from a home kit in the past year?	21.5	25.5	21.8	26.6
Ever had sigmoidoscopy/ proctoscopy?	46.0	50.2	34.5	39.2
Had sigmoidoscopy/ proctoscopy in the past 5 years?	37.8	42.0	23.3	30.1

*Data are from a sample of people surveyed through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Center for Health Statistics, New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services