Reminder letters and a leaflet of explanation have achieved a significant improvement in the uptake of flexible sigmoidoscopy screening in England, researchers report today.
Initial trials of the programme, aimed at improved detection of bowel cancer risk, found that 40% of people took up invitations to be screened.
Researchers sent out reminder letters a year and two years after the first invitation and found they could increase this rate by a fifth, according to the report in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine.
The reminders included a new leaflet aimed at tackling common concerns about the procedure. This leaflet was “theory-based,” the researchers say.
Prospective patients already get an information leaflet with their first appointment offer.
Researcher Dr Robert Kerrison, of University College, London, UK, said: "Despite bowel scope screening attendance being low where it has been rolled out so far, this research shows that more could be done to improve uptake.
“Providing information targeting the concerns of patients is one way to break down the barriers to bowel scope screening uptake."
Dr Jodie Moffat, from Cancer Research UK, which backed the research, said: "Cancer screening offers a lot of potential for reducing the burden of cancer but there are harms as well as benefits, so it’s important that people make their own decision about whether to take part or not.”
Kerrison et al. Use of two self-referral reminders and a theory-based leaflet to increase the uptake of flexible sigmoidoscopy in the English Bowel Scope Screening Programme: results from a randomised controlled trial in London. Annals of Behavioral Medicine 15 January 2018
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