Is an opportunistic primary care-based intervention for non-responders to bowel screening feasible and acceptable?
This mixed-methods study in Scotland aimed to test whether a brief, opportunistic intervention in general practice was a feasible way to engage with bowel cancer screening non-responders. The intervention comprised of a brief conversation about non-participation during routine consultation, provision of a patient leaflet and instructions to request a replacement faecal occult blood test kit. The intervention was offered to 258 patients in five general practices: 220 (87.0%) engaged with the intervention, 60 (23.3%) requested a new kit, 22 (8.5%) kits were completed and returned. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires with primary care providers suggest that the intervention was feasible however some reported challenges including work-related pressures, time constraints and practice priorities. While these concerns need to be addressed when informing future intervention design, this study adds to evidence that primary care providers play a key role in promoting bowel screening uptake.
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