Cardiovascular Health and Colorectal Cancer Screening in Black Men: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

Abstract

African American/Black (henceforth Black) men face disproportionate risks of morbidity and mortality from both cardiovascular disease (CVD) and colorectal cancer (CRC). The American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7 (LS7) tool was designed to examine predictors of CVD with included behaviors also linked to CRC risk (i.e., smoking status, weight, diet, and physical activity). However, no studies have combined LS7 assessment alongside CRC screening history, which serves as a proxy for assessing CRC risk, in Black men. In this study, Black men aged 45–75 participating in annual community wellness events were screened for 6 of 7 LS7 measures (excluding diet, LS6) and self-reported CRC screening. Analyses conducted using R 4.0.5. revealed that Black men ( N = 680), with an average age of 57.3 years ( SD = 7.5), reported poor (39.7%), intermediate (34.6%), or ideal (25.7%) LS6 scores with higher scores corresponding to lower risk for CVD. However, for every 1-point increase in LS6 scores (0–6), there was a 26% lower odds of reported CRC screening ( p = .001). In the fully adjusted model, men with 4+ ideal LS6 behaviors had a 60% lower odds of self-reported CRC screening compared to those with two ideal LS6 behaviors ( p < .001). These findings underscore the need for culturally relevant interventions for Black men across all levels of cardiovascular health (CVH) to increase CRC screening uptake.