title: Did the 'Be Clear on Bowel Cancer' public awareness campaign pilot result in a higher rate of cancer detection?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of a 7-week public bowel cancer awareness campaign pilot by reviewing the number of 2-week referrals from general practitioners (GPs) to hospital, endoscopic procedures and new cancers diagnosed throughout the five acute hospitals in The Peninsular Cancer Network, UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective before and after study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Peninsula Cancer Network in the South West of England, UK.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the period July 2010-July 2011, data were collected on the number of 2-week referrals, number of endoscopic procedures performed and number of new cancers diagnosed. The average for the 6 months before the campaign was compared with the immediate 3 months and then the fourth to sixth months following the campaign. Student's t test was used to compare the means of the three groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a statistically significant increase in the number of 2-week referrals from GPs to hospital in the 3 months following the campaign but this effect disappeared after that. There was no statistical increase in the number of endoscopic procedures or new cancers diagnosed following the awareness campaign.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The pilot 'Be Clear on Cancer' awareness campaign had a significant effect on the number of patients being referred from GPs to hospital; however, the effect was short lived and had returned to baseline by 3 months. The campaign had no effect on the number of new cancers diagnosed, which was the stated underlying aim of the pilot.
authors.affiliation: Department of Colorectal Surgery, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, UK. i.daniels@nhs.net
authors.forename: Rob
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bethune
authors.forename: Morwena J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Marshall
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oppong
authors.forename: Mark T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Cartmel
authors.forename: Ponnandai J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Arumugam
authors.forename: Andrew S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gee
authors.forename: Ian R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Daniels
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D058006:General Practice / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008402:Mass Media; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011634:Public Health; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: PUBLIC HEALTH