News
One in four transplant hepatologists shows signs of unhealthy alcohol use, new survey finds
A recent survey study led by UCLA researchers found that one in four transplant hepatologists in the United States screened positive for unhealthy alcohol use. The findings, published in Hepatology Communications and led by Dr. Arpan A. Patel, assistant clinical professor of medicine, emphasize the urgent need for accessible physician wellness programs and efforts to reduce stigma around seeking help. The study surveyed 185 practicing transplant hepatologists across the country, revealing that 26.3% screened positive for unhealthy alcohol use—nearly identical to the 25.5% rate observed in the general U.S. population. In contrast, general hepatologists showed lower rates of unhealthy alcohol use (11.2%) compared to U.S. physicians overall (15.3%).
Shifts in colorectal cancer screening trends after COVID-19
Among nearly 25 million privately insured adults, significant shifts in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening practices were identified after the onset of COVID-19. Between 2017 and 2024, colonoscopy and fecal immunochemical test (FIT) use declined, while stool DNA testing rose sharply. The findings also highlight notable disparities in screening preferences by sex, socioeconomic status (SES), and whether individuals lived in metropolitan or nonmetropolitan areas. Dr. Fola May was a collaborator on this retrospective cohort study published in JAMA Network Open. Read full AJMC article
Out of the blue, a colon cancer screening kit arrives
An alarming rise in colorectal cancer diagnoses for 40-somethings — it’s now the leading cause of death for men ages 45 to 49 and the second-leading cause for women in that age group, behind breast cancer — prompted a lower recommended age for screening to 45 from 50. The two most common screening methods are a preventative colonoscopy or a fecal immunochemical test that analyzes stool. Both are covered by insurance. But uptake, since the 2021 change, falls short of screening levels achieved after decades of pushing those 50 and older to get screened. (These age recommendations are for people without a family history of colorectal cancer, it should be noted.) A randomized clinical study involving more than 20,000 patients of the UCLA Health system set out to see if there might be a way to compel more 40-somethings to get tested. In this colon screening field experiment, the large gap in the effectiveness of the opt-out option relative to the three active choice nudges, shows the value of continuing to study and refine what nudges may actually compel more of us to adopt behaviors that can help us. Read the UCLA Anderson Review Research Brief
Over 4 million US adults with chronic liver disease can be grouped into unique risk groups based on barriers to care
People with chronic liver disease can be categorized into four distinct risk groups based on the different barriers they face in obtaining outpatient care, barriers that increase their odds of requiring hospitalization, a new UCLA study finds. The findings, in the peer-reviewed PLOS ONE, point to the need for interventions aimed at reducing possibly avoidable hospitalizations among the highest-risk people with chronic liver disease (CLD). Previous research has found that people with CLD on average need more hospital-based care than those with other chronic diseases. About 4 million adults in the US have CLD, said Dr. Carrie Wong, assistant professor of medicine in the division of digestive diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and the study’s lead author. “We need to address community-based health care barriers, particularly for persons who struggle to establish care, as a potential approach to reduce recurrent hospital use among adults with chronic liver disease in the US,” Wong said. Read more about the study in UCLA Health news
Improving colorectal cancer prevention and treatment for Black Americans
Despite being one of the most preventable and treatable cancers, colorectal cancer continues to claim more lives in Black communities than in any other racial group in the United States. Incidence and mortality rates remain about 20% and 30% higher for Black individuals compared with White individuals, making it a leading driver of racial health disparities. A new review published in Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, co-led by Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, a gastroenterologist and cancer prevention researcher at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, provides a deeper look into why these disparities persist and what can be done to eliminate them. Read more in UCLA Health News & Insights | Healio Gastroenterology | Real Health Magazine | Cancer Health
Mailing at-home test kits most effective in getting people ages 45 to 49 to screen for colorectal cancer, UCLA study finds
In a new study aimed at identifying the best approach to promote colorectal cancer screening in adults ages 45 to 49, UCLA researchers found that simply mailing a stool-based test directly to people's homes was the most effective strategy for increasing screening rates. The study, , compared four strategies to increase colorectal cancer screening in this population, which only recently became eligible for screening. Of the four options tested, the researchers found that automatically mailing a stool-based screening test without an option to opt in or out resulted in the highest screening rates. Read more in UCLA Health News & Insights
Arpan A. Patel, MD, PhD, selected as 2025-2026 cohort of American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Future Leaders Program
The AGA Future Leaders Program helps to grow early career gastroenterologists into leaders that can contribute to many important priorities for the field, including expanding opportunities for innovation, research, policy, and equity. This year, Dr. Patel, assistant clinical professor of medicine, was selected to join the 2025-2026 cohort of AGA Future Leaders, as part of a competitive selection process. Over the next year, he and 15 others will participate in high-priority, collaborative projects and engage in leadership development activities as part of the program. Dr. Folasade P. May, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon GI Quality Improvement Program, is a past cohort in the 2017-2018 Future Leaders Program.
10 gut myths
A article asked leading authorities for the truth about probiotics, elimination diets, leaky gut and more. Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, associate professor of medicine, discussed bowel movement consistency.
Folasade P. May, MD, PhD, MPhil, and Beth Glenn, PhD, receive $3 million grant to boost colorectal cancer screening follow-up in underserved communities
To help ensure more people benefit from colorectal cancer screening, Dr. May, director of the Melvin and Bren Simon GI Quality Improvement Program and associate director of the UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity, and Beth Glenn, PhD, associate director of the UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity, are leading a team of researchers in public health, health services and health economics who will evaluate a multilevel health system intervention in one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers systems in the country, where only 18-30% of patients who receive abnormal FIT results complete the necessary colonoscopy follow-up.