Community Dissemination of an Evidence-based Colorectal Cancer (CRC) Screening Intervention

Overview

Filipino Americans have lower rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, later stage of diagnosis and poorer survival relative to other racial/ethnic groups. To address this disparity, the investigators developed a multi-component intervention to increase CRC screening and have determined its efficacy in a randomized trial (Maxwell,et. al., 2010). This study aims to determine how an intervention to increase CRC screening can best be integrated within the cultural norms and existing structures of churches and community based organizations (CBOs) with predominantly Filipino American membership to ensure broad dissemination to those in need of screening. The investigators will provide our partner CBOs with resources and technical assistance, including training of community volunteers as health advisors, to enable them to promote CRC screening to their constituents. Using a scientifically rigorous research design, the investigators will compare two dissemination strategies: Basic dissemination which consists of a single kick-off event during which community health advisors will receive print materials and FOBT kits for distribution and training on how to conduct educational small-group sessions; and Organizational dissemination aimed at integrating CRC screening dissemination into organizational practices and processes that can be sustained after the end of the study. The study will be implemented in 20 CBOs and will train 100 community health advisors (CHAs). The impact of the two dissemination strategies will be comprehensively assessed by collecting data at the CBO level, from the CHAs and from 1000 Filipino American participants. The investigators will compare the proportion of Filipino American participants who obtain CRC screening by dissemination strategy, but the investigators will also assess how many are reached, if the intervention is implemented as planned, how CBOs support the screening efforts at their regular activities, and if CBOs and CHAs maintain their efforts over the 4 years of the study. The investigators hypothesize that CBOs can implement evidence-based strategies to promote CRC screening and CHAs in the organizational dissemination arm will reach more participants and more screened participants than CHAs in the basic dissemination arm; and organizations in the organizational dissemination arm will adopt more CRC screening activities and maintain these better than organizations in the basic dissemination arm.