HPU Poll: North Carolinians Report Major Gaps in Colorectal Cancer Awareness
A recent High Point University Poll of North Carolina residents revealed varying levels of awareness and engagement regarding colorectal cancer screenings and risk factors.
HIGH POINT, N.C., March 24, 2025 – A recent High Point University Poll of North Carolina residents revealed varying levels of awareness and engagement regarding colorectal cancer screenings and risk factors. Awareness of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month remains particularly low, with 77% of respondents unaware that March is designated for this cause.
While a majority recognized the importance of screening and believe early detection improves outcomes, significant gaps remain in awareness of screening age recommendations and colorectal cancer awareness efforts. A solid majority (63%) of respondents considered colorectal cancer screening to be either very important (33%) or extremely important (30%). Additionally, 69% believed early detection through screening can significantly (28%) or very significantly (41%) improve colorectal cancer outcomes.
However, awareness of the recommended age for starting colorectal cancer screenings is relatively low. Only 29% of respondents reported being very (18%) or extremely (11%) aware of the recommended age.
Confidence in understanding colorectal cancer risk factors is also mixed. While 34% of respondents reported being very (20%) or extremely (14%) confident, one-third (33%) were either not confident at all (15%) or only slightly confident (18%) in their knowledge of risk factors such as age, family history and lifestyle.
Despite recognizing the importance of screening, conversations about colorectal cancer awareness remain infrequent. A majority (64%) of respondents reported that they rarely or never discuss colorectal cancer awareness with friends or family.
“In North Carolina, respondents report often (7%) and very often (4%) discussing colorectal cancer awareness with their family or friends,” said Dr. Lorrie Davis-Dick, assistant professor in HPU’s Teresa B. Caine School of Nursing. “This significant gap highlights the critical need for increased education and community outreach to raise awareness about colorectal cancer.”
Encouraging loved ones to get screened is another area of hesitation. While 49% of respondents said they are likely (29%) or very likely (20%) to encourage a family member or friend to get a screening, 32% remained neutral, and 20% were unlikely (10%) or very unlikely (9%) to do so.
“The new poll reveals that nearly half of respondents are likely or very likely to encourage a family member or friend to get a colorectal cancer screening, highlighting the growing awareness of early detection,” said Dr. Rachel Phelps, assistant professor and simulation director in the Teresa B. Caine School of Nursing. “However, with 32% remaining neutral and nearly 20% expressing reluctance, there is still a crucial need for education and advocacy to increase support for life-saving screenings.”
Perceptions of accessibility to screenings are relatively positive, with 46% of respondents believing screenings are either very (26%) or extremely (20%) accessible in their community. However, 18% considered them not accessible (5%) or only slightly accessible (13%).
The poll results highlight the need for increased education and advocacy regarding colorectal cancer awareness, particularly in promoting screening guidelines, risk factor knowledge and the importance of early detection.
North Carolina Residents – Recommended Age for Colorectal Cancer Screenings (March 2025)
How aware are you of the recommended age for starting colorectal cancer screenings?
Not aware at all – 22%
Slightly aware – 23%
Moderately aware – 26%
Very aware – 18%
Extremely aware – 11%
North Carolina Residents – Importance of Colorectal Cancer Screening (March 2025)
How important do you think it is to get screened for colorectal cancer?
Not important – 3%
Slightly important – 12%
Moderately important – 23%
Very important – 33%
Extremely important – 30%
North Carolina Residents – Knowledge of Risk Factors for Colorectal Cancer (March 2025)
How confident are you in your knowledge of the risk factors for colorectal cancer (e.g., age, family history, lifestyle)?
Not confident at all – 15%
Slightly confident – 18%
Moderately confident – 33%
Very confident – 20%
Extremely confident – 14%
North Carolina Residents – Discussing Colorectal Cancer Awareness (March 2025)
How often do you talk about colorectal cancer awareness with your friends or family?
Never – 34%
Rarely – 30%
Sometimes – 25%
Often – 7%
Very often – 4%
North Carolina Residents – Encouraging a Family Member or Friend to Get Screening (March 2025)
How likely or unlikely are you to encourage a family member or friend to get a colorectal cancer screening?
Very unlikely – 9%
Unlikely – 10%
Neutral – 32%
Likely – 29%
Very likely – 20%
North Carolina Residents – Early Detection Through Screening (March 2025)
How much do you believe that early detection through screening can improve the outcome of colorectal cancer?
Not at all – 3%
A little – 7%
Moderately – 20%
Significantly – 28%
Very significantly – 41%
North Carolina Residents – Perceived Accessibility of Colorectal Cancer Screenings in the Community (March 2025)
How accessible do you think colorectal cancer screenings are in your community?
Not accessible at all – 5%
Slightly accessible – 13%
Moderately accessible – 36%
Very accessible – 26%
Extremely accessible – 20%
North Carolina Residents – Awareness of March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (March 2025)
Were you aware that March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month?
Yes – 16%
No – 77%
Unsure – 7%
HPU Poll 110 was fielded by the High Point University Survey Research Center on Feb. 23 through March 1, as an online survey using a panel of respondents recruited and maintained by Dynata. Dynata sent invitations to its panel of North Carolina respondents and the SRC collected 1,001 responses (an all-adults sample) on its Qualtrics platform. All respondents were asked two screening questions to identify them as registered voters. A total of 837 respondents identified themselves as registered voters. The SRC did all data analysis. The online sample is from a panel of respondents, and their participation does not adhere to usual assumptions associated with random selection. Therefore, it is not appropriate to assign a classic margin of sampling error for the results. In this case, for the all-adults sample, the SRC provides a credibility interval of plus or minus 3.2 percentage points to account for a traditional 95% confidence interval for the estimates (plus or minus 3.1 percentage points) and a design effect of 1.05 (based on the weighting). The all-adults data is weighted toward population estimates for age, gender, race, and ethnicity based on U.S. Census numbers for North Carolina. The High Point University Survey Research Center (SRC) produces weights through an iterative procedure within SPSS. Factors such as question wording and other methodological choices in conducting survey research can introduce additional errors into the findings of opinion polls. Further results and methodological details from the most recent survey and past surveys can be found at the Survey Research Center website. Materials online include past press releases as well as memos summarizing the findings (including approval ratings) for each poll since 2010.
The HPU Poll reports methodological details in accordance with the standards set out by AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, and the HPU Survey Research Center is a Charter Member of the Initiative.
Dr. Martin Kifer, chair and professor of political science, serves as the director of the HPU Poll for the Survey Research Center.
Natalie Hinson is a research assistant in the Survey Research Center.