ColonCancerCheck Primary Care Invitation Pilot project: family physician perceptions.
OBJECTIVE
To determine family physician perspectives regarding the acceptability and effectiveness of 2 interventions-a targeted, mailed invitation for screening to patients, and family physician audit-feedback reports-and on the colorectal cancer (CRC) screening program generally. This information will be used to guide program strategies for increasing screening uptake.


METHODS
Qualitative study.


METHODS
Ontario.


METHODS
Family physicians (n = 65).


METHODS
Seven 1-hour focus groups were conducted with family physicians using teleconferencing and Web-based technologies. Responses were elicited regarding family physicians' perspectives on the mailing of invitations to patients, the content and design of the audit-feedback reports, the effect of participation in the pilot project on daily practice, and overall CRC screening program function.


RESULTS
Key themes included strong support for both interventions and for the CRC screening program generally. Moderate support was found for direct mailing of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) kits. Participants identified potential pitfalls if interventions were implemented outside of patient enrolment model practices. Participants expressed relatively strong support for colonoscopy as a CRC screening test but relatively weak support for FOBT.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the proposed interventions to increase the uptake of CRC screening were highly endorsed, concerns about their applicability to non-patient enrolment model practices and the current lack of physician support for FOBT will need to be addressed to optimize intervention and program effectiveness. Our study is highly relevant to other public health programs planning organized CRC screening programs.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, 2075 Bayview Ave, Room HG40, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5. jill.tinmouth@sunnybrook.ca
Jill
J
Tinmouth
Paul
P
Ritvo
S Elizabeth
SE
McGregor
Criss
C
Guglietti
Josh
J
Green
Danielle
D
Claus
Cheryl
C
Levitt
Lawrence F
LF
Paszat
Linda
L
Rabeneck
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009780:Occult Blood; D009864:Ontario; D010821:Physicians, Family; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires