Abstract
Background
1. The UK Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot was established to determine the feasibility of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the UK population using faecal occult blood testing (FOBt). It followed demonstrations of mortality reductions in a UK randomised controlled trial in Nottingham. The Pilot commissioned two sites (one in central England, the other in Scotland) to confirm that the uptake of FOBt screening achieved in the trial settings (60%) could be repeated in population-based programmes.
2. CRC screening differs from cervical and breast screening in that it is undertaken by the individual themselves, and patient compliance requires that individuals follow instructions, complete a home kit (FOBt) over a period of time, and mail this to the laboratory. If the FOB test proves positive, this is then followed by an invitation to attend a local hospital for a diagnostic procedure (colonoscopy).
3. A major evaluation of the Pilot was commissioned in 1999. The brief of the main Evaluation Group was to produce an independent report for the Department of Health on the outcomes of screening in the Pilot.
4. A separate study focusing on potential issues for ethnic populations associated with the introduction of CRC screening was commissioned two years later in 2001. This research, led by the University of Warwick, was conducted in the English site only (i.e. Coventry and Warwickshire), since the ethnic minority population in the Scottish Pilot area was very small. The main ethnic minority population groups in the English pilot site were of South Asian origin; the African-Caribbean population was much smaller and geographically dispersed. 5. Our study adopted a multi-disciplinary approach. The research team brought together individuals with a range of academic expertise including ethnicity, epidemiology, psychology, and health services research. The team comprised academics from the Universities of Warwick, Essex and De Montfort. The team liased closely throughout with the main Pilot evaluation team, led by the University of Edinburgh.
1. The UK Colorectal Cancer Screening Pilot was established to determine the feasibility of screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) in the UK population using faecal occult blood testing (FOBt). It followed demonstrations of mortality reductions in a UK randomised controlled trial in Nottingham. The Pilot commissioned two sites (one in central England, the other in Scotland) to confirm that the uptake of FOBt screening achieved in the trial settings (60%) could be repeated in population-based programmes.
2. CRC screening differs from cervical and breast screening in that it is undertaken by the individual themselves, and patient compliance requires that individuals follow instructions, complete a home kit (FOBt) over a period of time, and mail this to the laboratory. If the FOB test proves positive, this is then followed by an invitation to attend a local hospital for a diagnostic procedure (colonoscopy).
3. A major evaluation of the Pilot was commissioned in 1999. The brief of the main Evaluation Group was to produce an independent report for the Department of Health on the outcomes of screening in the Pilot.
4. A separate study focusing on potential issues for ethnic populations associated with the introduction of CRC screening was commissioned two years later in 2001. This research, led by the University of Warwick, was conducted in the English site only (i.e. Coventry and Warwickshire), since the ethnic minority population in the Scottish Pilot area was very small. The main ethnic minority population groups in the English pilot site were of South Asian origin; the African-Caribbean population was much smaller and geographically dispersed. 5. Our study adopted a multi-disciplinary approach. The research team brought together individuals with a range of academic expertise including ethnicity, epidemiology, psychology, and health services research. The team comprised academics from the Universities of Warwick, Essex and De Montfort. The team liased closely throughout with the main Pilot evaluation team, led by the University of Edinburgh.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Department of Health, London |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 2003 |
