Alyssa Harris, Ph.D. in Health Sciences candidate at Northern Illinois University, was the lead author of “Facility-Based Uptake of Colorectal Cancer Screening in 45- to 49-Year-Olds After US Guideline Changes.” The study, which included NIU Professor M. Courtney Hughes as senior author, was recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Network Open, which offers enhanced access to the research, reviews and perspectives shaping medicine today and into the future at no charge.
“It was incredibly validating to know that JAMA Network Open was interested in the work,” said Harris, associate principal at the Center for Advanced Analytics and Informatics for Vizient, Inc. “As a researcher and Ph.D. student, it’s exciting to contribute to conversations around colorectal cancer prevention and screening at that level.”
The study examined how U.S. hospitals responded after national colorectal cancer (CRC) screening guidelines lowered the recommended screening age from 50 to 45. Using data from more than 1,000 hospitals in the Vizient Clinical Data Base, the researchers found that facility-based CRC screening among adults ages 45–49 increased almost tenfold following the 2021 USPSTF guideline update and subsequent insurance coverage changes.
“At a high level, the findings show that when evidence, policy and healthcare systems align, adoption can happen very quickly across the country,” said Harris, “Health systems rapidly integrated the new recommendations into practice through provider education, EMR workflows and expanded screening efforts.”
The study showed that while screening uptake increased substantially, there are also persistent disparities.
“Screening rates remained lower among Black patients, Medicare beneficiaries and patients from higher-vulnerability communities,” Harris said. “The next challenge for health systems is not just increasing screening overall but making sure access and preventive care improvements reach populations that have historically faced barriers to care. We have made great strides but there is still more work to be done.
Harris added that the Ph.D. in Health Sciences program at NIU has been incredibly valuable in helping strengthen her skills in applied health services research.
“One of the things I’ve appreciated most is the flexibility of the program, which has allowed me to pursue a Ph.D. while working full-time,” she said. “I’ve also learned a tremendous amount from my classmates in the program. Being exposed to different professional backgrounds, perspectives, and approaches to healthcare has broadened my perspective and strengthened my lens as a researcher.”
In addition, she credits the supportive collaborative approach of the program as being a key to her success.
“I’m especially grateful to Dr. Hughes, my advisor and mentor, and Dr. Andrew Notebaert, the program director, for fostering a collaborative and interdisciplinary environment that has encouraged both academic growth and applied research,” Harris said. “Their mentorship has been instrumental in shaping my development as a researcher and helping me pursue projects with meaningful public health impact.”
Check out the full study in JAMA Network Open.
