Researchers in Florence, Italy, wanted to find better ways to encourage people to get screened for colorectal cancer. They studied over 20,000 people aged 54 to 70 who had not responded to previous screening invitations. The team tested different messages and options to see what might work best.
They found that adding a short feedback message to the standard invitation letter led to a small but clear increase in people getting screened. However, offering more invasive tests like sigmoidoscopy actually made people less likely to participate. Offering a CT colonography scan did not change participation rates compared to the standard invitation.
This study only looked at whether people got screened within 90 days of receiving the new invitations. It did not track long-term habits or whether more cancers were found. The results for the more invasive tests were only seen in a smaller group of people aged 58 to 60. The findings suggest simple reminders can help, but more research is needed to understand the best long-term strategies.