Behavioral Economic Incentives and Cancer Health Risk Assessment
Condition: Cancer of the Colon
MeSH terms: Colonic Neoplasms
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This is an RCT among UPHS employees between ages 50-64 comparing no incentive and a
      loss-framed incentive for completing cancer health risk assessment. Those eligible will
      receive the phone number for direct colonoscopy scheduling, with the incentive arm receiving
      an additional unconditional incentive. The primary outcome is completion of screening
      colonoscopy. Secondary outcomes include scheduling of colonoscopy and completion of risk
      assessment.
    

Detailed description: 
      Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States.
      Despite effective screening and treatment strategies, screening rates remain at 59-65%. UPHS
      employees have similarly limited rates of CRC screening despite having awareness, access, and
      insurance coverage. There is a need to identify those who are not up-to-date on screening and
      eligible for outreach in this population. Financial incentives informed by behavioral
      economic principles could be used to encourage self-report about screening status and
      completion of CRC screening. This research utilizes a digital health platform, Way to Health,
      to evaluate the feasibility of a cancer health risk assessment. This is a single-center RCT
      among UPHS employees between ages 50-64 that will randomize eligible participants into one of
      two study arms: (1) no incentive to complete cancer health risk assessment (no incentive) or
      (2) loss-framed incentive to complete cancer health risk assessment (incentive). Those that
      are eligible for screening will receive a direct access phone number to schedule colonoscopy,
      with an additional unconditional incentive for those in incentive arm. The primary outcome is
      completion of screening colonoscopy, with secondary outcomes of colonoscopy scheduling and
      completion of risk assessment.
    

Intervention name(s): No incentive; Incentive
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Each participant will receive an email describing the importance of colorectal cancer screening and that they have been selected to receive a risk assessment. They will directed to an online platform where they will be asked about age, family history, and prior screening history. Those who are eligible for screening will be offered the VIP access phone number to schedule an appointment.; Each participant will receive an email describing the importance of colorectal cancer screening and that they have been selected to receive a risk assessment, for which they will received a loss-framed incentive. They will directed to an online platform where they will be asked about age, family history, and prior screening history. Those who are eligible for screening will be offered the VIP access phone number to schedule an appointment and will receive an additional unconditional pro-social incentive.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Investigator)
Primary purpose: Screening