Survey of ColoRectal Cancer Education and Environment Needs (SCREEN)

April 6, 2015 updated by: US Department of Veterans Affairs

Assessing and Addressing Patient Colorectal Cancer Screening Barriers

Despite strong evidence for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a variety of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening methods for reducing CRC mortality, current CRC screening rates fall far below the levels needed to significantly impact CRC mortality. Unfortunately, however, the existing literature on patient CRC screening behavior does not yet provide a sufficient evidence base for making sound recommendations regarding how to most effectively improve upon these rates in the VA. This study will inform future CRC screening promotion efforts and make important scientific contributions to existing literature by: (a) delineating the relative contribution of patient cognitive, environmental and background factors to CRC screening behavior using a multi-level, theory driven analysis approach on a nationally representative sample, and (b) identifying the determinants of variation in CRC screening behavior across vulnerable population subgroups.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

Background / Rationale:

Despite strong evidence for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a variety of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening methods for reducing CRC mortality, current CRC screening rates fall far below the levels needed to significantly impact CRC mortality. Unfortunately, however, the existing literature on patient CRC screening behavior does not yet provide a sufficient evidence base for making sound recommendations regarding how to most effectively improve upon these rates in the VA. This study will inform future CRC screening promotion efforts and make important scientific contributions to existing literature by: (a) delineating the relative contribution of patient cognitive, environmental and background factors to CRC screening behavior using a multi-level, theory driven analysis approach on a nationally representative sample, and (b) identifying the determinants of variation in CRC screening behavior across vulnerable population subgroups.

Objective(s):

The overall goal of this study was to address significant gaps in the existing evidence base in order to inform the development of effective patient-directed interventions to increase CRC screening among veterans age 50 and older. This was accomplished by using data collected from a mailed patient survey and theory-based analysis approaches to uncover key barriers to screening adherence and to identify fruitful intervention approaches for modifying them. The specific primary objectives of this study were to: (1) Estimate the relative effect of patient cognitive (knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy), environmental (social network and medical care characteristics), and background (demographics, health status, prior screening experiences) factors on CRC screening behavior; (2) Identify factors that contribute to any disparities in CRC screening behavior by race/ethnicity or other patient characteristics; (3) Identify from these analyses: (a) priority population subgroups to target in future interventions (i.e., those at the greatest risk of failing to be screened), and (b) priority factors to target in future interventions (i.e., those that are not only strongly associated with CRC screening but also prevalent in the target population and amenable to intervention, as well as those that are most likely to ameliorate race and other disparities). Secondary objectives included: (1) assessing patient values and preferences regarding the various CRC screening modality options, (2) estimating stage of readiness to adopt CRC screening in the study population, and (3) validating measures of CRC knowledge and self-reported screening behavior.

Methods:

This is an observational study based on a nationally representative, cross-sectional mailed survey of 3,744 male and female veterans age 50-75 who have had one or more primary care visits at a VA Medical facility in the past two years. The survey sample was drawn using a two stage procedure where we first randomly select 24 VA facilities stratified by size and racial mix and then select a simple random sample of 156 eligible veterans from each sampled facility. Prior to the national survey, a pilot survey was conducted with the purpose of refining both the study instruments and the study protocol. The sample consisted of 900 randomly selected veterans from the Minneapolis VA Medical Center meeting the same sampling eligibility criteria used for the national mailed survey. The mailed patient questionnaire, made up primarily of previously validated measures, included measures of self-reported CRC screening behavior; patient demographic, health, social network and medical care characteristics; CRC screening knowledge, attitudes, social norms and self-efficacy; and attitudes toward medical care. Additional measures of organizational-level CRC screening practices from a recently completed VA facility survey were linked to the patient survey.The primary outcome is whether the patient is currently compliant with CRC screening guidelines (i.e., received either a fecal occult blood test in the past year, a sigmoidoscopy or double contrast barium enema in the past five years, or a colonoscopy in the past ten years). The primary analyses tested (using logistic regression and a multi-level, structural equation modeling approach) specific hypotheses about the association between this measure and patient background, cognitive and environmental factors and their interactions. Additional analyses conducted include a multinomial logistic regression to assess patient screening mode preferences and their determinants, and logistic and multinomial logistics regression analyses with interactions to determine whether and why any observed patterns in CRC screening behavior vary by race.

Status:

Completed

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

4644

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Minnesota
      • Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55417
        • Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

50 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Sampling Method

Probability Sample

Study Population

Primary care patients

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Study subjects must be a male or female veteran who has had one or more primary care visits at a VHA medical center in the past 2 years and is between the age of 50 and 75.

Exclusion Criteria:

Study subjects cannot be a VHA employee, deceased, have a colorectal cancer diagnosis, be enrolled in VA adult day care or nursing home, or have dementia.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort
Group 1
Male and female veterans age 50-75 who have had one or more primary care visits at a VA Medical facility in the past two years.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
colorectal cancer screening compliance
Time Frame: self-report or medical records documentation of either a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in the past 15 months, a sigmoidoscopy or double contrast barium enema in the past 5.5 years, or a colonoscopy in the past 11 years
self-report or medical records documentation of either a fecal occult blood test (FOBT) in the past 15 months, a sigmoidoscopy or double contrast barium enema in the past 5.5 years, or a colonoscopy in the past 11 years

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

US Department of Veterans Affairs

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Melissa R. Partin, PhD, Minneapolis VA Health Care System, Minneapolis, MN

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

March 1, 2006

Primary Completion (Actual)

May 1, 2007

Study Completion (Actual)

March 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

September 27, 2005

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

September 27, 2005

First Posted (Estimate)

September 29, 2005

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 7, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 6, 2015

Last Verified

January 1, 2009

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • IIR 04-042

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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