Evaluating Strategies to Present Colon Cancer Screening Information
Condition: Colonic Neoplasms; Colorectal Neoplasms; Colonic Diseases; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms
MeSH terms: Neoplasms; Colonic Neoplasms; Colorectal Neoplasms; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Digestive System Neoplasms; Colonic Diseases
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This is a study examining the effects of different educational-motivational materials about
      colorectal cancer screening on perceptions and intentions to get screened. Eligible
      participants will be randomized to one of three experimental conditions. All participants
      will be provided information about colon cancer and screening options based on the Centers
      for Disease Control and Prevention Screen for Life materials. Some participants also will be
      asked to read a personal narrative about colon cancer screening. This study will determine
      whether participant's perceptions about and colorectal cancer screening intentions and
      behaviors differ by which information they read. Participants will complete surveys before,
      immediately after, and one month after randomization. To assess behavior change, as suggested
      by grant reviewers and the project officer, we added 6 and 12 month follow up surveys.
      Participants can complete all study requirements through the study website:
      http://HealthStudy.wustl.edu
    

Detailed description: 
      The use of patient narratives in interventions and their availability on the Internet is
      becoming ubiquitous and has far outpaced empirical research to assess how and for whom
      narratives are effective. To improve future behavioral interventions that incorporate
      narratives, researchers need to identify the best role models to promote colon cancer
      screening and examine their potentially different mechanisms of influence.

      For the proposed web-based, 3-arm English-language pilot intervention with a brief, 1 month
      follow-up, the study investigators will randomize 400 average-risk adults age 50-75 who are
      non-adherent to colon cancer screening guidelines and have no cancer history to one of three
      groups to read: 1) basic information about colon cancer risk and test options, 2) the same
      colon cancer and screening information plus a narrative from a colon cancer survivor, or 3)
      the same colon cancer and screening information plus a narrative from someone who got
      screened for colon cancer. To better assess behavior change, a 6 and 12 month follow up
      survey was added.

      All participants will read general information about colon cancer and screening guidelines,
      test options, and benefits based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention educational
      materials. Narrative participants will then view a role model that is tailored to each
      participant by gender, race/ ethnicity, and age group. Along with a photo will be a brief
      message to identify role models as colon cancer survivors or screeners. Narrative conditions
      will include a single role model and story of first-person experiences of colonoscopy.
      Participants will complete survey measures before and after the information and stories are
      presented and at one, 6, and 12 month follow-up. Participation in the first part of the study
      will take about 30 minutes and about 15 minutes for the follow up survey. Participants can
      complete all study requirements through our website: http://HealthStudy.wustl.edu

      This study will examine potential mediators or mechanisms that explain the effects of these
      narratives on screening-related outcomes based on a proposed conceptual model. The study
      investigators will enroll a diverse sample of participants to explore any differences in
      narrative effects by audience characteristics (potential moderators).
    

Intervention name(s): Health communication intervention; Education information
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): This study will compare the effects of adding narratives that describe personal experiences with colon cancer screening to educational information alone to explore potential differences in reactions to different role models on individuals' screening intentions and behaviors.; Educational materials such as those from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are used to present educational information to participants about colon cancer and screening tests.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Colon cancer screening; Colorectal cancer screening; Colonoscopy; Sigmoidoscopy; Stool blood test; Narrative