Personalized Risk Messages Do Not Increase Participation in Colorectal Cancer Screening

A recent randomized controlled trial examined whether personalized information about a patient's risk for advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACN) could influence the likelihood of undergoing colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of tailored risk messages directed both to patients and healthcare providers. Participants included 1,084 average-risk individuals aged 50 to 75, scheduled for primary care visits across two Midwest healthcare systems between November 2020 and May 2023.

Patients received either a decision aid featuring personalized risk information about ACN or a generic version without specific risk data. Simultaneously, healthcare providers received notifications regarding patients’ screening needs, which also varied between personalized messages indicating higher risk and generic messages. The primary goal was to see if these targeted messages impacted the completion of any CRC screening test within six months.

Results showed that approximately 39.8% of participants completed CRC screening within the study period. However, the study found no significant difference in screening rates between those who received personalized messages and those who received standard, non-tailored information. This indicates that personalized risk messaging, at least in this format, does not necessarily enhance screening participation.

The research involved analysis of data from 214 providers and over a thousand patients across primary care clinics in the Midwest. Despite the intuitive assumption that personalized information might motivate more individuals to participate in screening, the findings suggest that other strategies may be necessary to improve CRC screening uptake. The study underscores the complexity of influencing health behaviors and indicates that risk communication alone may not suffice.

Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, this study contributes to the ongoing discussion about how best to increase screening adherence through patient-centered communication. Future research is needed to confirm these findings and explore additional methods to effectively promote colorectal cancer screenings.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-personalized-messages-boost-colorectal-cancer.html