Piloting the Impact of Three Interventions on Guaiac Faecal Occult Blood Test Uptake within the NHS Bowel Cancer Screening Programme

Evaluating changes to home bowel cancer screening kits: an end-user perspective study

PURPOSE

Many people do not participate in mail-out bowel cancer screening programs due to difficulties using the screening kit. The current study investigated the ways the screening kit could be modified to improve usability.

METHODS

1,109 people evaluated 15 different screening kit modifications. Participants reported on how these kit modifications would affect their screening barriers, their future screening intentions, and how much they would recommend that the modification is made to the current screening kit used the program. All responses were given via an online survey conducted between April and December of 2021.

RESULTS

Seventeen percent of previous NBCSP non-participators indicated that a one-sample test would increase their intention to participate. Recommendation ratings demonstrated higher levels of support for modifications that included providing a barcode naming label (M = 9.06, 95% CI [8.81, 9.31]), having a larger diameter opening of the collection tube (M = 8.42, 95% CI [8.10, 8.74]), and highlighting the expiry date on the kit packaging (M = 8.59, 95% CI [8.29, 8.89]). There were lower levels of support for modifications that reduced the size of the packaging the kit is sent in (M = 6.47, 95% CI [6.09, 6.85]), removed branding from kit packaging (M = 5.98, 95% CI [5.57, 6.39]), and removed the information booklet that comes with the screening kit (M = 5.25, 95% CI [4.78, 5.72]).

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight multiple ways in which bowel cancer screening kits can be changed to increase usability for invitees of national bowel cancer screening programs. Findings have implications for all screening programs that use immunochemical-based bowel cancer screening kits.

Mail-out bowel cancer screening: Identifying the behavioural stumbling blocks

OBJECTIVE

To describe the actions taken by recipients of mail-out faecal occult blood test (FOBT) kits and to identify the points at which progress towards kit completion typically stops. Differences according to gender, age, and screening intention were also examined.

METHODS

1599 people completed an online survey identifying the actions they took upon receiving an FOBT kit. Latent class analysis was conducted to identify latent subgroups of participants that reported similar actions. Differences between gender, age, and intention status were assessed using non-invariance testing.

RESULTS

Four latent subgroups of FOBT invitees were identified: those who complete and return their FOBT kit ('completers'); those who bring the kit into their house but go no further ('ignorers'); those who open the package and read the bowel cancer information materials but go no further ('readers'); and those who read the instructions but do not place the kit near the toilet and do not complete their FOBT kit ('leavers'). Non-completers who intended to use the kit were most likely to be in the 'leavers' class, while those who had no intention were most likely to be in the 'readers' class.

CONCLUSIONS

Distinct subgroups of non-responders exist among bowel cancer screening invitees, suggesting different behaviour change interventions are needed to facilitate participation. Some invitees, especially those with high participatory intention, are likely to benefit from prompts to take the kit into the toilet, while others, with little participatory intention, often read the invitation materials presenting an opportunity to intervene with health messages.

Differences in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who did and did not undergo screening: Results from the 45 and Up Study cohort

BACKGROUND

The Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program is a free population-based screening program aiming to identify precancerous lesions and early colorectal cancer using faecal occult blood tests in average-risk Australians. The participation rate in people invited to screening was 42 % in 2017-2018, well below the 56.6 % target level. Increasing screening in high-risk groups; such as those with a subsequent diagnosis of colorectal cancer, will improve the efficiency of the program.

METHODS

Patients were participants in the Australian 45 and Up (cohort) study; aged 55 or 65 years between May 2006 and June 2008. Patients reported a history of colorectal cancer in their enrolment questionnaire and whether or not they had screened before diagnosis. Demographic, lifestyle, dietary and health related characteristics were compared between those who did and did not participate in screening.

RESULTS

339 participants who self-reported having colorectal cancer were included. Participants who were female, overweight (≥ 25 kg/m²), consumed less than the recommended five servings of vegetables per day, consumed ≤ 14 standard drinks per week (compared to non-drinkers) or did not meet physical activity guidelines were significantly less likely to have participated in screening.

CONCLUSION

Considerable investment has been placed in the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program and the focus now is on improving participation. Our study has taken a unique approach to identifying high-risk groups by exploring factors related to screening participation in colorectal cancer patients. These findings can further leverage the program by targeting high-risk populations to reduce the colorectal cancer burden in Australia.

Impact of the introduction of a new policy of direct faecal immunochemical home screening test provision in a national bowel screening programme, both during and outside of advertising campaigns

BACKGROUND

BowelScreen, The National Bowel Screening Programme in Ireland, offers free colorectal screening to persons aged 60-69 through a home Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kit. 40.2% uptake in the first screening round was below the programme standard (≥50.0%). To improve uptake, an intervention saw FIT kits sent directly to previously screened clients rather than by the usual invitation process comprising a letter of invitation followed by a FIT kit if requested. The intervention proved successful and was fully implemented into the programme for subsequent clients. Despite the improved uptake it was noted over time that the unsatisfactory FIT rate was approaching the programme standard (≤3%). The aim of this study is to compare uptake by two invite methods occurring contemporaneously alongside advertising and to compare unsatisfactory rates before and after full FIT-Direct implementation.

METHODS

Percentage uptake and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for each invite method before and after advertising and compared using two-proportion z-tests. Rate ratios and 95% CI compared the unsatisfactory FIT rate before and after full-FIT Direct implementation.

RESULTS

Uptake was significantly higher amongst FIT-Direct compared with Usual-Invite clients during (91.0% vs 84.9%, p < 0.0001) and outside advertising (93.8% vs 85.3%, p < 0.0001). The unsatisfactory FIT rate was 2.3 times higher (95% CI: 1.84-2.92, p < 0.0001) after full FIT-Direct implementation compared with before.

CONCLUSIONS

The FIT-Direct intervention had an overall positive effect on uptake. After adjusting for advertising, uptake of FIT was higher outside advertising periods. Monitoring of the unsatisfactory rate is ongoing; a communication enhancement strategy may be required should this persist.

Implementation Strategies for Interventions Aiming to Increase Participation in Mail-Out Bowel Cancer Screening Programs: A Realist Review

Background: Bowel cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third most common cause of cancer-related death, with 1,849,518 new cases of bowel diagnosed and 880,792 deaths reported globally in 2018 alone. Survival can be improved through early detection via national mail-out bowel cancer screening programs; however, participation remains low in many countries. Behavior change is therefore required to increase participation. This realist review aims to (a) identify the behavior change techniques (BCTs) used in each intervention, (b) understand the mechanisms of action (MoAs) responsible for the BCT effectiveness, and (c) apply a behavior change model to inform how MoAs can be combined to increase screening participation.

Methods: We systematically reviewed the literature for interventions aiming to increase participation in mail-out bowel cancer screening. We used a four-stage realist synthesis approach whereby (1) interventions were extracted from each study; (2) BCTs applied in each intervention were identified and coded using the BCT Taxonomy-v1; (3) the Theory and Techniques Tool was used to link BCTs to their MoA; and (4) BCTs and MoAs were categorized according to their effectiveness and what Health Action Process Approach (HAPA) stage of change they would affect.

Results: We identified 68 intervention trials using 26 unique BCTs and 13 MoAs to increase participation. Sixteen BCTs and 10 MoAs were identified within the interventions that successfully increased participation rates. Interventions targeting both stages of the HAPA model had a higher success rate (80%) than those targeting one stage of change (51%). When targeting only one stage, interventions targeting the volitional stage had a higher success rate (71%) than interventions targeting only the motivational stage of change (26%).

Conclusion: Importantly, this review identified a suite of BCTs and MoAs effective for increasing participation in mail-out bowel cancer screening programs. With increased participation in bowel cancer screening leading to improved survival, our findings are key to informing the improvement of policy and interventions that aim to increase screening using specific strategies at key stages of health decision-making.

Pathways to a cancer-free future: a protocol for modelled evaluations to minimise the future burden of colorectal cancer in Australia

INTRODUCTION

With almost 50% of cases preventable and the Australian National Bowel Cancer Screening Program in place, colorectal cancer (CRC) is a prime candidate for investment to reduce the cancer burden. The challenge is determining effective ways to reduce morbidity and mortality and their implementation through policy and practice. Pathways-Bowel is a multistage programme that aims to identify best-value investment in CRC control by integrating expert and end-user engagement; relevant evidence; modelled interventions to guide future investment; and policy-driven implementation of interventions using evidence-based methods. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Pathways-Bowel is an iterative work programme incorporating a calibrated and validated CRC natural history model for Australia (Policy1-Bowel) and assessing the health and cost outcomes and resource use of targeted interventions. Experts help identify and prioritise modelled evaluations of changing trends and interventions and critically assess results to advise on their real-world applicability. Where appropriate the results are used to support public policy change and make the case for optimal investment in specific CRC control interventions. Fourteen high-priority evaluations have been modelled or planned, including evaluations of CRC outcomes from the changing prevalence of modifiable exposures, including smoking and body fatness; potential benefits of daily aspirin intake as chemoprevention; increasing CRC incidence in people aged <50 years; increasing screening participation in the general and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations; alternative screening technologies and modalities; and changes to follow-up surveillance protocols. Pathways-Bowel is a unique, comprehensive approach to evaluating CRC control; no prior body of work has assessed the relative benefits of a variety of interventions across CRC development and progression to produce a list of best-value investments.

ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION

Ethics approval was not required as human participants were not involved. Findings are reported in a series of papers in peer-reviewed journals and presented at fora to engage the community and policymakers.

Promoting colorectal cancer screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of interventions to increase uptake

Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a global public health concern. CRC screening is associated with significant reductions in CRC incidence and mortality, however, uptake is suboptimal. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials explored the effectiveness of interventions designed to increase screening uptake, plus the impact of various moderators. Data from 102 studies including 1.94 million participants were analysed. Results showed significant benefit of all interventions combined (OR, 1.49, 95% CI: 1.43, 1.56, p < 0.001). The effects were similar in studies using objective versus self-reported uptake measures and lower in studies judged to be at high risk of bias. Moderator analyses indicated significant effects for aspects of behaviour (effects lower for studies on non-endoscopic procedures), and intervention (effects higher for studies conducted in community settings, in healthcare systems that are not free, and that use reminders, health-professional providers, paper materials supplemented with in-person or phone contact, but avoid remote contact). Interventions that included behaviour change techniques targeting social support (unspecified or practical), instructions or demonstration of the behaviour, and that added objects to the environment produced stronger effects. The way in which findings can inform interventions to improve CRC screening uptake is discussed.

Faecal haemoglobin can define risk of colorectal neoplasia at surveillance colonoscopy in patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer

Background

Quantitative faecal immunochemical tests measure faecal haemoglobin concentration (f-Hb), which increases in the presence of colorectal neoplasia.

Objective

We examined the diagnostic accuracy of faecal immunochemical test (FIT)in patients at increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) attending for surveillance colonoscopy as per national guidelines.

Methods

A total of 1103 consecutive patients were prospectively invited to complete a FIT before their scheduled colonoscopy in two university hospitals in 2014– 2016. F-Hb was analysed on an OC-Sensor io automated analyser (Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) with a limit of detection of 2 µg Hb/g faeces. The diagnostic accuracy of f-Hb for CRC and higher-risk adenoma was examined.

Results

A total of 643 patients returned a faecal test. After excluding 4 patients with known inflammatory bowel disease, 639 (57.9%) remained in the study: age range: 25–90 years (median: 64 years, interquartile range (IQR): 55–71): 54.6% male. Of 593 patients who also completed colonoscopy, 41 (6.9%) had advanced neoplasia (4 CRC, 37 higher-risk adenoma). Of the 238 patients (40.1%) who had detectable f-Hb, 31 (13.0%) had advanced neoplasia (2 CRC, 29 higher-risk adenoma) compared with 10 (2.8%) in those with undetectable f-Hb (2 CRC, 8 higher-risk adenoma). Detectable f-Hb gave negative predictive values of 99.4% for CRC and 97.2% for CRC plus higher-risk adenoma.

Conclusion

In patients at increased risk of CRC under colonoscopy surveillance, a test measuring faecal haemoglobin can provide an objective estimate of the risk of advanced neoplasia, and could enable tailored scheduling of colonoscopy.

Strategies for increasing participation in mail-out colorectal cancer screening programs: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Population mail-out bowel screening programs are a convenient, cost-effective and sensitive method of detecting colorectal cancer (CRC). Despite the increased survival rates associated with early detection of CRC, in many countries, 50% or more of eligible individuals do not participate in such programs. The current study systematically reviews interventions applied to increase fecal occult blood test (FOBT) kit return, specifically in population mail-out programs.

METHODS

Five electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses) were searched for articles published before the 10th of March 2018. Studies were included if they reported the results of an intervention designed to increase the return rate of FOBT kits that had been mailed to individuals' homes. PRISMA systematic review reporting methods were applied and each study was assessed using Cochrane's Risk of Bias tool. Pooled effect sizes were calculated for each intervention type and the risk of bias was tested as a moderator for sensitivity analysis.

RESULTS

The review identified 53 interventions from 30 published studies from which nine distinct intervention strategy types emerged. Sensitivity analysis showed that the risk of bias marginally moderated the overall effect size. Pooled risk ratios and confidence intervals for each intervention type revealed that telephone contact RR = 1.23, 95% CI (1.08-1.40), GP endorsement RR = 1.19, 95% CI (1.10-1.29), simplified test procedures RR = 1.17, 95% CI (1.09-1.25), and advance notifications RR = 1.09, 95% CI (1.07-1.11) were effective intervention strategies with small to moderate effect sizes. Studies with a high risk of bias were removed and pooled effects remained relatively unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

Interventions that combine program-level changes incorporating the issue of advance notification and alternative screening tools with the involvement of primary health professionals through endorsement letters and telephone contact should lead to increases in kit return in mail-out CRC screening programs.

SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION

This review is registered with PROSPERO; registration number CRD42017064652.

Ways to use interventions to increase participation in mail-out bowel cancer screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis

The impact of colorectal cancer can be reduced through nationwide fecal occult blood test (FOBT) screening. Unfortunately, participation in screening programs are low with interventions only increasing participation modestly.

This meta-analysis explores if intervention effectiveness can be increased by targeting specific subpopulations with specific interventions or by combining interventions. Six databases were searched for studies aiming to increase participation in mail-out FOBT screening. To investigate if interventions are more effective for certain subpopulations, the difference in (log) Risk Ratios (RRs) between alternate subpopulations (male vs. female; low vs. high Socioeconomic Status (SES); &lt;65 vs. ≥65 years) was assessed. To investigate if interventions should be combined, uptake rates for single interventions were compared to uptake rates for combined interventions. Cochrane Collaboration tools were used to assess the risk of bias.

Searches found 3,436 articles, with 32 meeting the inclusion criteria. These contained 30 trials that reported uptake rates within subpopulations and 17 trials that combined interventions. Most differences in intervention effects between subpopulations were nonsignificant. Combining interventions led to greater participation, RR = 1.06, confidence interval [1.03; 1.10]. As interventions rarely affect subpopulations differently, targeting them at specific subpopulations may be an ineffective strategy. While individual interventions show modest effects, these results indicate that future programs might overcome this by combining interventions together. Care is needed when selecting interventions to combine as adding some interventions (e.g., additional print materials) can reduce the effectiveness of a combined strategy. Future research should examine methods for effectively combining interventions in nationwide programs to maximize participation.

A review of sex-related differences in colorectal cancer incidence, screening uptake, routes to diagnosis, cancer stage and survival in the UK

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is an illness strongly influenced by sex and gender, with mortality rates in males significantly higher than females. There is still a dearth of understanding on where sex differences exist along the pathway from presentation to survival. The aim of this review is to identify where actions are needed to improve outcomes for both sexes, and to narrow the gap for CRC.

Methods

A cross-sectional review of national data was undertaken to identify sex differences in incidence, screening uptake, route to diagnosis, cancer stage at diagnosis and survival, and their influence in the sex differences in mortality.

Results

Overall incidence is higher in men, with an earlier age distribution, however, important sex differences exist in anatomical site. There were relatively small differences in screening uptake, route to diagnosis, cancer staging at diagnosis and survival. Screening uptake is higher in women under 69 years. Women are more likely to present as emergency cases, with more men diagnosed through screening and two-week-wait. No sex differences are seen in diagnosis for more advanced disease. Overall, age-standardised 5-year survival is similar between the sexes.

Conclusions

As there are minimal sex differences in the data from routes to diagnosis to survival, the higher mortality of colorectal cancer in men appears to be a result of exogenous and/or endogenous factors pre-diagnosis that lead to higher incidence rates. There are however, sex and gender differences that suggest more targeted interventions may facilitate prevention and earlier diagnosis in both men and women.

Uptake of the English Bowel (Colorectal) Cancer Screening Programme: an update 5 years after the full roll-out

Background

The initial roll-out of the English Bowel (Colorectal) Cancer Screening programme, during 2006 and 2009, found uptake to be low (54%) and socially graded. The current analysis used data from 2010 to 2015 to test whether uptake is increasing and becoming less socially graded over time.

Methods

Postcode-derived area-level uptake of 4.4 million first-time invitees, stratified by gender and the year of the first invitation (2010–2015), was generated using the National Bowel Cancer Screening System. Data were limited to people aged 60–64 years. Binomial regression tested for variations in uptake by the year of invitation, gender, region, area-based socio-economic deprivation and area-based ethnic diversity.

Results

Overall, the first-time colorectal cancer (CRC) screening uptake across 6 years was 52% (n = 2,285,996/4,423,734) with a decline between 2010 and 2015 (53%, 54%, 52%, 50%, 49%, 49% respectively). Uptake continued to be socially graded between the most and the least deprived area-level socio-economic deprivation quintiles (43% vs 57%), the most and the least area-based ethnic diversity quintiles (41% vs 56%) and men and women (47% vs 56%). Multivariate analysis demonstrated the effects of year, deprivation, ethnicity and gender on uptake. The effect of deprivation was more pronounced in the most deprived area quintile between men and women (40% vs 47%) than the least deprived area quintile (52% vs 62% respectively).

Conclusion

We did not find evidence of change in uptake patterns in CRC screening since its initial launch 10 years ago. The programme is unlikely to realise its full public health benefits and is en route to widening inequalities in CRC outcomes.

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Colorectal cancer screening uptake among first-time invitees remains low at 52%.

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There is a worrying reduction in colorectal cancer screening uptake between 2010 and 2015.

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There is no evidence that the social inequalities in uptake have reduced over time.

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There is no evidence of diffusion of innovation in colorectal cancer screening uptake in England.

Could stool collection devices help increase uptake in bowel cancer screening programmes?

Objective

To understand the usage and acceptability of a faecal collection device amongst participants in the National Health Service Bowel Cancer Screening Programme, with the aim of influencing future uptake.

Setting

Participants completing faecal occult blood test retests as part of the routine Bowel Cancer Screening Programme in Eastern England.

Methods

A faecal collection device and questionnaire were sent to all potential retest participants during a one-month period to collect information on prior stool collection methods and ease of use and usefulness of the enclosed faecal collection device.

Results

Out of 1087 participants invited, 679 (62.5%) returned their questionnaire. Of these, 429 (63.2%) trialled the faecal collection device at least once, 163 (38.4%) found the device made collecting their sample easier than previously, 189 (44.6%) found it made collection more difficult and 72 (17.0%) said it made no difference. Similar numbers reported finding that the faecal collection device made collecting the sample more pleasant (130, 31.5%), less pleasant (103, 25.0%) and no different (179, 43.4%) compared with previous collection without a faecal collection device.

Conclusion

Although a small proportion of participants found the faecal collection device helpful, a considerable majority did not or did not use it at all. Offering faecal collection devices is unlikely to produce a substantial increase in bowel cancer screening uptake.

Understanding the heterogeneity of cervical cancer screening non-participants: Data from a national sample of British women

BACKGROUND

Uptake of cervical cancer screening in the United Kingdom (UK) is falling year on year, and a more sophisticated understanding of non-participation may help design interventions to reverse this trend. This study ascertained the prevalence of different non-participant types using the Precaution Adoption Process Model (PAPM).

METHODS

Home-based computer-assisted interviews were carried out with 3113 screening-eligible women in Britain. Survey items assessed self-reported screening uptake and intention to attend in future. Responses to these items were used to classify women into one of five different types of non-participants.

RESULTS

Of 793 non-participants, 28% were unaware of screening, 15% had decided not to attend and 51% were intending to have screening but were currently overdue. Younger women were more likely to be unaware of screening or to intend to be screened, while older women were more likely to have decided not to be screened. Women from ethnic minority backgrounds were more likely to be unaware of screening than white women. Being in a lower social grade was associated with increased odds of all three types of non-participation.

CONCLUSION

The majority of cervical cancer screening non-participants are not making an active decision not to attend but rather are either unaware or unable to act. There are clear sociodemographic differences between non-participant types, which could be used to identify where tailored interventions may be best targeted.

Text-message Reminders in Colorectal Cancer Screening (TRICCS): a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

We investigated the effectiveness of a text-message reminder to improve uptake of the English Bowel Cancer Screening programme in London.

METHODS

We performed a randomised controlled trial across 141 general practices in London. Eight thousand two hundred sixty-nine screening-eligible adults (aged 60-74 years) were randomised in a 1 : 1 ratio to receive either a text-message reminder (n=4134) or no text-message reminder (n=4135) if they had not returned their faecal occult blood test kit within 8 weeks of initial invitation. The primary outcome was the proportion of adults returning a test kit at the end of an 18-week screening episode (intention-to-treat analysis). A subgroup analysis was conducted for individuals receiving an invitation for the first time.

RESULTS

Uptake was 39.9% in the control group and 40.5% in the intervention group. Uptake did not differ significantly between groups for the whole study population of older adults (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.94-1.12; P=0.56) but did vary between the groups for first-time invitees (uptake was 34.9% in the control and 40.5% in the intervention; adjusted OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.04-1.58; P=0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Although text-message reminders did not significantly increase uptake of the overall population, the improvement among first-time invitees is encouraging.

Rapid review of evaluation of interventions to improve participation in cancer screening services

Objective

Screening participation is spread differently across populations, according to factors such as ethnicity or socioeconomic status. We here review the current evidence on effects of interventions to improve cancer screening participation, focussing in particular on effects in underserved populations.

Methods

We selected studies to review based on their characteristics: focussing on population screening programmes, showing a quantitative estimate of the effect of the intervention, and published since 1990. To determine eligibility for our purposes, we first reviewed titles, then abstracts, and finally the full paper. We started with a narrow search and expanded this until the search yielded eligible papers on title review which were less than 1% of the total. We classified the eligible studies by intervention type and by the cancer for which they screened, while looking to identify effects in any inequality dimension.

Results

The 68 papers included in our review reported on 71 intervention studies. Of the interventions, 58 had significant positive effects on increasing participation, with increase rates of the order of 2%–20% (in absolute terms).

Conclusions

Across different countries and health systems, a number of interventions were found more consistently to improve participation in cancer screening, including in underserved populations: pre-screening reminders, general practitioner endorsement, more personalized reminders for non-participants, and more acceptable screening tests in bowel and cervical screening.