INCREASING COMPLIANCE WITH COLORECTAL-CANCER SCREENING - THE DEVELOPMENT OF EFFECTIVE HEALTH-EDUCATION

The ability of a health education leaflet to raise awareness of the fr equency of colorectal cancer and its asymptomatic nature and to increa se intention to participate in screening with faecal occult blood test ing (FORT) was investigated, One hundred subjects were interviewed bef ore and after reading the leaflet, The number of men stating bowel can cer was 'very common' increased significantly from 20 to 60% (chi(2) = 16.7, P < 0.0001) and those understanding its asymptomatic nature fro m 64 to 92% (chi(2) = 11.4, P < 0.001). The leaflet significantly incr eased the percentage of women reporting bowel cancer as 'very common' from 30 to 70% (chi(2) = 16.0, P < 0.0001) and as being asymptomatic f rom 58 to 94% (chi(2) = 17.8, P < 0.0001), After reading the leaflet, 55% of men who initially declined screening reversed their decision (c hi(2) = 16.5, P < 0.0001) and 50% of female non-adherers reversed thei r decision (chi(2) = 17.3, P < 0.0001), Reasons most frequently given for declining colorectal cancer screening were feeling well (77% of su bjects declining), concern about further tests (38%), unpleasantness o f FOBT (13%) and illness (6%). This leaflet successfully educates peop le about colorectal cancer and increased intention to participate in s creening programmes.