CPHARM - CRC Study

Community Pharmacy-Based Health-Seeking Behaviour and Colorectal Cancer Screening Uptake Among Malaysian Adults

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common cancers in Malaysia and worldwide. Although it can often be prevented or treated successfully when detected early, many people in Malaysia are diagnosed at an advanced stage. Screening tests, such as the immunochemical faecal occult blood test (iFOBT), can help detect early signs of colorectal cancer; however, participation in screening remains low.

Community pharmacies are easily accessible healthcare settings where people frequently seek health advice. Pharmacists may play an important role in improving awareness and encouraging colorectal cancer screening by providing education and support. However, more information is needed to understand how people perceive and respond to pharmacy-based colorectal cancer screening.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Colorectal Cancer
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Health awareness campaign

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 316
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Yen Jun Wong; Phone Number: 60355146286; Email: yenjun.wong@monash.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Chee Tao Chang; Email: davidcct.crc@gmail.com

Study Locations

• Malaysia
  • Selangor
    • Klang, Selangor, Malaysia, 41050
      • Big Caring Group
      • Contact: Shiau Hueh Yeow; Phone Number: 60374531988; Email: shiauhueh.yeow@bigcaring.com.my

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults aged 50 to 75 years
• Visiting participating community pharmacies during the study period
• Able to provide informed consent
• Willing to complete the study questionnaire
• Willing to provide consent for follow-up assessment of: iFOBT provision, iFOBT testing completion, iFOBT results

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous diagnosis of colorectal cancer
• History of colonoscopy within the recommended screening interval (within past 1 year)
• Currently experiencing symptoms suggestive of colorectal cancer
• Having a first-degree relative diagnosed with colorectal cancer

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Pharmacy customers with campaign; Campaign Components The one-day Ribbon of Hope campaign will be implemented at each intervention pharmacy to promote colorectal cancer awareness and screening uptake. The campaign consists of educational materials and one-on-one education about colorectal cancer.	Behavioral: Health awareness campaign; Campaign Components The one-day Ribbon of Hope campaign will be implemented at each intervention pharmacy to promote colorectal cancer awareness and screening uptake. The campaign consists of educational materials and one-on-one education about colorectal cancer.
No Intervention: Pharmacy customers without campaign; Customers will receive standard pharmacy services such as medication dispensing and general health advice, but no educational materials or one-on-one education on CRC will be provided.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Beliefs and perceptions toward colorectal cancer and iFOBT screening	Beliefs and perceptions toward colorectal cancer and iFOBT screening, measured using the Champion Health Belief Model Scale - Colorectal Cancer - Malay (CHBMS-CRC-M) subscales of perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits, and perceived barriers, between customers from pharmacies with and without the one-day awareness campaign. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). Domain scores will be calculated by summing (or averaging) the items within each domain, with higher scores indicating greater perceived susceptibility, benefits or barriers.	From enrollment to the 8th week follow-up.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Proportion of participants who were willing to accept and perform iFOBT, report iFOBT results, and follow-up if needed.	From enrollment to the 8th week of follow-up

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Monash University Malaysia

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): January 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 15, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 15, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): July 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 21, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 19, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Neoplasms by Site; Neoplasms; Intestinal Diseases; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms; Digestive System Neoplasms; Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Intestinal Neoplasms; Rectal Diseases; Colonic Diseases; Colorectal Neoplasms
• Other Study ID Numbers: 53176

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No