Mail-out bowel cancer screening: Identifying the behavioural stumbling blocks

An important factor limiting the effectiveness of the mail-out test kits used as part of the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program (NBCSP) is the low participation rate. Currently, the NBCSP has a target participation rate of 80% but only has an actual participation rate of 44%. This current study surveyed nearly 1600 people from across Australia who had received a test kit from the NBCSP, to investigate the actions they took after receiving the test. The authors identified four subgroups which included distinct subgroups of non-responders. The four subgroups were ‘completers’, ‘ingorers’, ‘readers’ and ‘leavers’. Overall, the subgroups suggest different behaviour change interventions may be needed to improve participation.   Read the full article here.