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Enrolling by Invitation

NCT Number: NCT04296630

Social Media for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Using social media for health promotion is an innovative and emerging approach but remains relatively unexplored in cancer screening. Uptake of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening remains low and standard methods of reaching out are expensive with limited impact. The objective of this study is to conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the effectiveness of social media messages for CRC screening on screening intention (primary outcome). The results of this trial will be of interest to Ontario Health and are likely to be taken up by other screening programs looking for innovative and novel ways to increase screening participation. The study results will be easily translatable identifying the most compelling CRC screening messages while the approach can easily be translated to other cancer disease sites with screening programs.

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Key information

Conditions

Colorectal Cancer Cancer Screening Colonic Diseases Colorectal Neoplasms Digestive System Diseases Digestive System Neoplasms Gastrointestinal Diseases Gastrointestinal Neoplasms Intestinal Diseases Intestinal Neoplasms Neoplasms Neoplasms by Site Rectal Diseases

Age range

55 year–64 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Unity Health Toronto

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

About this study

The investigators will conduct a cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) in Facebook users (aged 50+) in Ontario. Randomization will be done at the level of the forward sortation area (FSA) - the first three characters of the postal code. All FSAs in Ontario will be randomized to one of six study arms - users assigned to each arm will receive one of the social media messages or no message (control). If users click on the message, a webpage with further information on screening will appear and participants will be asked to indicate intention to get screened for CRC. The primary outcome will be intention to screen and secondary outcomes will include other engagement metrics such as reach, cost-per-click, click-through rates, number of likes, number of impressions, and post comments.

This study will inform the feasibility of using social media for CRC screening and identify the most compelling CRC screening messages for the screen-eligible population.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Facebook users in Ontario who are between 55-64 years of age

Treatment and study plan

Social media message #1

Other

Social media message promoting colorectal cancer screening

Social media message #2

Other

A different social media message promoting colorectal cancer screening

Social media message #3

Other

A different social media message promoting colorectal cancer screening

Social Media Message #4

Other

A different social media message promoting colorectal cancer screening.

Tailored Social Media Message

Other

Tailored social media messages promoting colorectal cancer screening.

Primary outcomes

  1. Screening intention

    Time frame: From date of randomization to end of data collection (1 month)

    The proportion of individuals in each arm that click on the ad and confirm their intention to get screened for CRC

Secondary outcomes

  1. Cost-per-click

    Time frame: From date of randomization to end of data collection (1 month)

    The average cost per link click calculated as the total amount spent on the ad campaign divided by total number of link clicks

  2. Click-through-rate

    Time frame: From date of randomization to the end of data collection (1 month)

    Percentage of times that individuals saw the ads and performed a click

  3. Number of likes

    Time frame: At the end of the study period at 1 month

    Total number of Facebook likes for each ad

  4. Number of impressions

    Time frame: At the end of the study period at 1 month

    Number of times that each ad was on screen

  5. Post comments

    Time frame: At the end of the study period at 1 month

    Number of comments on each ad

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Unity Health Toronto

Other

Collaborators

  • Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Registry information

Official study title

Utilizing Social Media for Colorectal Cancer Screening: an Innovative Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Mar 5, 2020
Registry last updated
Nov 4, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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