Patient-reported and GP-recorded symptoms and agreement
| Full dataset (n=310) | ||||||
| Patient reported* | GP recorded† | Reported by patient but not recorded by GP | Recorded by GP but not reported by patient | Agreement | Kappa (95% CI)‡ | |
| n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | n (%) | % | ||
| Change in bowel habit (CIBH) | 213 (69) | 75 (24) | 146 (47) | 8 (3)§ | 50 | 0.167 (0.100 to 0.234) |
| CIBH: diarrhoea | 139 (45) | 72 (23) | 77 (25) | 10 (3)¶ | 72 | 0.406 (0.312 to 0.500) |
| CIBH: constipation | 93 (30) | 32 (10) | 69 (22) | 8 (3)** | 75 | 0.272 (0.164 to 0.380) |
| Abdominal pain | 170 (55) | 77 (25) | 114 (37) | 21 (7) | 57 | 0.169 (0.080 to 0.257) |
| Rectal bleeding | 72 (23) | 21 (7) | 60 (19) | 9 (3) | 78 | 0.171 (0.057 to 0.285) |
| Indigestion/heartburn | 128 (41) | 11 (4) | 119 (38) | 2 (1) | 61 | 0.069 (0.014 to 0.124) |
| Bloating | 170 (55) | 16 (5) | 158 (50) | 4 (1) | 48 | 0.038 (0.005 to 0.081) |
| Fatigue | 178 (57) | 35 (11) | 158 (50) | 15 (5) | 44 | −0.001 (−0.064 to 0.062) |
| Unexplained weight loss | 76 (25) | 23 (7) | 57 (18) | 4 (1) | 80 | 0.305 (0.187 to 0.423) |
| Loss of appetite | 89 (29) | 8 (3) | 85 (27) | 4 (1) | 71 | 0.037 (−0.0305 to 0.100) |
| Mucus in faeces | 85 (28) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.
*Median interval between FIT request being processed by the laboratory and the patient returning the questionnaire where symptoms were reported was 42 days (IQR 30–56).
†GPs recorded symptoms when requesting a FIT.
‡Kappa interpretation: poor or worse than chance (<0.00): slight (0.00–0.20), fair (0.21–0.4), moderate (0.41–0.60), substantial (0.61–0.80) or almost perfect (0.81–1.00) agreement.
§In all these cases, patient had not reported change in bowel habit, diarrhoea nor constipation.
¶In five of these cases, patient had reported change in bowel habit.
**In six of these cases, patient had reported change in bowel habit.
FIT, faecal immunochemical test; GP, general practitioner; N/A, not applicable.