A randomized trial comparing the effect of two phone-based interventions on colorectal cancer screening adherence.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early-stage diagnosis of colorectal cancer is associated with high survival rates; screening prevalence, however, remains suboptimal. PURPOSE: This study seeks to test the hypothesis that participants receiving telephone-based tailored education or motivational interviewing had higher colorectal cancer screening completion rates compared to usual care. METHODS: Primary care patients not adherent with colorectal cancer screening and with no personal or family history of cancer (n = 515) were assigned by block randomization to control (n = 169), tailored education (n = 168), or motivational interview (n = 178). The response rate was 70%; attrition was 24%. RESULTS: Highest screening occurred in the tailored education group (23.8%, p < .02); participants had 2.2 times the odds of completing a post-intervention colorectal cancer screening than did the control group (AOR = 2.2, CI = 1.2-4.0). Motivational interviewing was not associated with significant increase in post-intervention screening. CONCLUSIONS: Tailored education showed promise as a feasible strategy to increase colorectal cancer screening.