The goal of this clinical trial is to test a new smartphone-based program designed to help African American men get screened for colorectal cancer (CRC). The main question it aims to answer is: ° Are African American men who complete the smartphone-based program more likely to get screened for colorectal cancer than men who do not? Participants will: * Complete a baseline survey asking about their colorectal cancer screening history and their thoughts and beliefs about colorectal cancer and the medical system. * Be randomized to receive the new smartphone-based program or to receive text messages containing colorectal cancer education materials designed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The new program sends text messages with information about colorectal cancer. Some of these text messages have links to videos that try to help men overcome anything that may stand in the way of getting screened. * Complete a follow-up survey 6 months after the baseline survey. This survey will ask the same questions as the baseline survey. * A medical records review will be conducted at 6 months to verify whether participants received a colorectal cancer screening test during the study period. Researchers will compare participants who receive the new smartphone-based program to participants who receive the CDC information. The goal is to see whether the smartphone-based program increasing screening more than standard educational materials available on the internet.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SCREENING
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
128
Participants receive text messages that contain information about colorectal cancer and screening. Some text messages include links to videos that are intended to reduce barriers to colorectal cancer screening. Other text messages include links to brief web-based assessments. Responses to assessment questions are used to make sure each man receives only the information relevant to his needs. The main educational content is completed in the first 6 weeks. Additional educational and motivation text messages continue for up to 4 more months if a participant reports not having completed colorectal cancer screening.
Participants receive text messages that include links to videos and/or brochures developed by the Centers for Disease Control. This information is designed to educate the public about colorectal cancer and motivate screening. Text messages are sent every 2-3 days for 6 weeks.
ISA Associates, Inc.
Alexandria, Virginia, United States
Percentage of Participants Who Received a Colorectal Cancer Screening Test
This measure assesses whether or not a participant received a colorectal cancer screening test since beginning the study. The date and type of screening will be verified via electronic health records. A value of "0" will be recorded if no screening test is found in the electronic health record. A value of "1" will be recorded if a screening test is found in the electronic health record. The percentage of participants with a electronic health record verified screening will be calculated from these values.
Time frame: Month 6
Percentage of Participants Reporting Yes to Receiving a Colorectal Cancer Screening Test
Participants responded to a multiple-choice item asking whether they had completed a recommended colorectal cancer screening (colonoscopy, FIT, FIT-DNA, virtual colonoscopy, or flexible sigmoidoscopy) in the past 6 months. Response options were Yes/No/I'm not sure.
Time frame: baseline, 6-months
Perceived Severity of Colorectal Cancer at Month 6
Measured using the 12-item perceived severity subscale of Green and colleagues' (2004) CRC Knowledge, Perceptions, and Screening Survey. Items are averaged to form a score ranging from 1 to 5 with higher scores indicating higher perceived severity.
Time frame: Month 6
Perceived Susceptibility to Colorectal Cancer at Month 6
Measured using the 5-item perceived susceptibility subscale of Green and colleagues' (2004) CRC Knowledge, Perceptions, and Screening Survey. Items are averaged to form a score ranging from 1 to 5 with higher scores indicating higher perceived susceptibility.
Time frame: Month 6
Perceived Benefits to Colonoscopy at Month 6
Measured using Rawl and colleagues' (2001) 5-item perceived benefits to colonoscopy scale. Items are averaged to form a score ranging from 1 to 5 with higher scores indicating higher perceived benefits to colonoscopy.
Time frame: Month 6
Perceived Benefits to Stool Test at Month 6
Measured using Rawl and colleagues' (2001) 5-item perceived benefits to fecal occult blood test scale. Items are averaged to form a score ranging from 1 to 5 with higher scores indicating higher perceived benefits to stool tests.
Time frame: Month 6
Colorectal Cancer Knowledge at Month 6
Measured using the 16-item CRC Knowledge test subsection of Green and colleagues' (2004) CRC Knowledge, Perceptions, and Screening Survey. The true/false items are scored 1 (correct) or 0 (incorrect) and summed to form a score ranging from 0 to 16. Higher scores indicate greater colorectal cancer knowledge.
Time frame: Month 6
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