The impact of the ACA on preventing colorectal cancer incidence and mortality:

We have completed on a formal systematic review of the impact of the ACA on colorectal cancer screening, incidence and mortality rates, led by HSPH MS students Michelle Xu and Amanda Kelly. Formal systematic review procedures were utilized, using PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase to find any relevant research on colorectal cancer screening behavior changes as well as health outcome changes before and after the ACA.

The systematic review on the impact of the ACA on colorectal cancer outcomes found 12 relevant articles which in summary found an increasing trend in screening uptake. Only one article looked at the stage of cancer diagnosis and found that there was an increase in early stage CRC diagnosis and a decrease in late stage CRC diagnosis, suggesting that the policies from the ACA have potentially helped catch CRC at earlier stages. We aim to submit and publish the systematic review in Health Affairs. The manuscript is currently being finalized.