Improving Rates of Colorectal Cancer Screening Among Never Screened Patients

Study Summary

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends colorectal cancer (CRC) screening using fecal occult blood test (FOBT), sigmoidoscopy, or colonoscopy, beginning at age 50 and continuing until age 75. Despite this recommendation, rates of CRC screening remain inadequate and large disparities exist. Screening rates are lower among Black and Hispanic populations, in areas with high poverty rates, among individuals with low education, and for those who utilize Medicaid or lack health insurance. This study will determine the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention to increase the number of patients who have never been screened for CRC and are cared for at a community health center (CHC) that complete a fecal immunochemical test (FIT) within 6 months of randomization to an intervention group compared to patients in a usual care group. We believe that the proposed intervention will improve the CRC screening rate in a cost-effective and sustainable way, ultimately leading to a reduction in the high rate of CRC. Aim 1: To conduct a randomized controlled trial to determine if a multifaceted intervention increases the proportion of patients who complete a FOBT within 6-months of randomization. Hypothesis 1: Compared to usual care, the intervention will increase the proportion of never-screened patients who complete FOBT within 6 months of randomization. Aim 2: Assess the costs of the intervention and the costs per additional initial screening compared to patients who receive usual care.

Primary Outcome

This outcome will be assessed by querying the electronic health record (EHR) for all intervention and control patients to determine if an FOBT screening test was completed the community health center or documentation in the EHR that screening was completed elsewhere.

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL Outreach and Reminder Intervention