Screening with faecal occult blood test (FOBT) for colorectal cancer: assessment of two methods that attempt to improve compliance

Screening with the faecal occult blood test (FOBT) has been shown in random ized control trials to be effective in reducing mortality from colorectal c ancer. Compliance to this test recommendation, however, by the general popu lation is usually low. To evaluate different methods of increasing complian ce with FOBT, using mailed test kits or order cards, with or without inform ation leaflets, subjects were randomly assigned to receive a test kit or a kit request card. An information leaflet was included in half of the mailin gs. All participants were contacted for interview, Compliance was evaluated through the central computer system of the study's FOBT laboratory, Self-i nitiated compliance with FOBT in the year preceding the study was 0.6% of t he study participants. The overall compliance rate with the programme invit ation was 17.9%, with a somewhat higher, though non-significant response to the mailed kit (19.9%) over the kit request card (15.9%). Women complied w ith the test significantly more than men, older participants more than youn ger. Compliance to FOBT is low among the Israeli population aged 50-74 who receive a formal invitation to carry out this screening, Mailing a kit requ est card within the framework of a screening programme can achieve a substa ntial increase (to 17.9%) in the level of compliance for the relatively low cost of postage. More effort is needed to study additional means of convin cing the non-responders to take part in this potentially life saving activi ty. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.