2007 Volume 45 Issue 3 Pages 323-329
The public’s attitude toward endoscopy was investigated using questionnaires and 538 subjects who underwent upper GI cancer screening at our institute. These subjects were divided into two groups according to the screening methods: Group A (93 subjects who had endoscopy) and Group B (445 subjects who had digital X-ray). According to the results of questionnaires, in Group A, the subjects underwent endoscopy, expecting high diagnostic accuracy, upon the doctor’s recommendation, or for problems with barium. In Group B, the subjects considered endoscopy unnecessary, or experienced discomfort at the previous endoscopy. Awareness of transnasal EGD in Groups A and B was 24% and 15%, respectively. The main source of knowledge about transnasal EGD was the mass media. The degree of expectation regarding the success of transnasal EGD in Groups A and B was 66% and 52%, respectively, when some information was given by our institute. Information on transnasal EGD may easily raise the selection rate for endoscopy at upper GI cancer screenings. However, information should be given properly, by explaining in a balanced way the merits and demerits of transnasal EGD, such as the good tolerability, the diagnostic limitations of ultrathin endoscopes and the possible complications due to transnasal insertion.
