Providing Personalized Risk Messages Has No Overall Effect on CRC Screening Uptake or Test Completion

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) -- Including personalized risk for advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACN) in a decision aid or provider notification has no overall effect in terms of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening uptake or test completion, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.Peter H. Schwartz, M.D., Ph.D., from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, and colleagues examined whether providing information on patient risk for ACN to patients and providers affects screening uptake in a randomized controlled trial. A total of 214 providers and 1,084 average-risk patients due for screening were included in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to view a CRC screening decision aid with or without a personalized message about ACN risk, while providers were randomly assigned to receive notifications that the patient was due for screening, with or without a personalized message.The researchers found screening uptake or test completion did not differ for the provider notification (predicted probabilities, 41.5 versus 36.4 percent for personalized versus generic) or decision aid (predicted probabilities, 36.8 versus 41.0 percent for personalized versus generic) interventions. For stool testing, health system was an effect moderator. The stool testing rate was higher for personalized versus generic provider notification for one health system when the decision aid was generic (predicted probabilities, 21.1 versus 7.9 percent). When the provider notification was generic, the stool testing rate was higher for the personalized versus the generic decision aid (predicted probabilities, 21.4 versus 7.9 percent)."These findings require confirmation and extension in subsequent studies, with potential to improve the uptake, effectiveness, and efficiency of CRC screening," the authors write.Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required).Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter

Providing Personalized Risk Messages Has No Overall Effect on CRC Screening Uptake or Test Completion

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