Appointments timed in proximity to annual milestones and compliance with screening: randomised controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether appointments for screening timed in proximity to annual milestones (birthdays, Christmas and New Year) may be used as a strategy to improve attendance for screening for colorectal cancer.


METHODS
Randomised controlled trial.


METHODS
City of Oslo (urban) and Telemark county (urban and rural), Norway.


METHODS
12,960 screened adults (64.7% of those invited).


METHODS
Attendance rates for each week and month of assigned appointment.


RESULTS
Attendance rates were significantly higher in December than the rest of the year (72.3% v 64.6%, P<0.001) in adults who received an invitation in the week of their birthday or were assigned to screening in the first or second week after their birthday (67.9% v 64.5%, P=0.007). This effect was most pronounced in the urban population of Oslo. In a multivariable logistic regression model, attendance improved in those who received an invitation in the week of their birthday or were assigned to screening in the first or second week after their birthday (odds ratio 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.03 to 1.28) and those who were assigned to screening in December (odds ratio 1.45, 1.16 to 1.82).


CONCLUSIONS
Attendance rates for screening for colorectal cancer were higher in December and around attendees' birthdays, the latter particularly in an urban population. Compliance with screening programmes may therefore be improved by timing invitations in proximity to annual milestones.


BACKGROUND
Clinical Trials NCT00119912.
Hoff
Geir
G
Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway. hofg@online.no
Bretthauer
Michael
M
D000846:Anniversaries and Special Events; D001071:Appointments and Schedules; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway / Q000453:epidemiology; D009780:Occult Blood; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012423:Rural Health; D012812:Sigmoidoscopy; D014504:Urban Health