The Effect of Educational Intervention on the knowledge and participation of Administrative Health Personnel in Colorectal Cancer Screening program at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences Shiraz 2003

Health care providers play an important role in planning & implementing policies to improve health behavior in the general population and increase participation in screening programs for early detection of cancer. This study was conducted to examine the effect of education on knowledge and the rate of participation of official administrative personnel with average risk for colorectal cancer, (age > 40 years), in colorectal cancer screening program at Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. In the first stage of the research, 156 subjects were selected based on pre-defined criteria using a questionnaire. They were then randomly divided in two groups, experimental and control groups with 78 subjects in each group. Demographic data, level of knowledge, willingness and perceived barriers to participate in screening programs were examined via two separate questionnaires. They were also asked to give stool samples to test for occult blood. In the second stage of the research, the intervention program, (based on health belief model) was conducted for the experimental group. An educational booklet and necessary information regarding colorectal cancer and screening programs were provided to them in two to three sessions. All subjects were asked to submit the stool samples to the laboratory for occult blood test if a subject did not comply, a reminder was sent to him /her. In the third stage, knowledge, (post-test) and the rate of subject's participation in the screening program was analyzed. The results of the study revealed that most people are not interested in colorectal screening tests. Reasons given for disinclination for occult blood test & colonoscopy were lack of time & feeling healthy, respectively. Knowledge in both experimental and control groups regarding colorectal cancer was improved, this improvement was significantly higher in the experimental group, (p<0.001). Furthermore, participation of the experimental group in the screening program was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.001). Educating the subjects regarding colorectal cancer and sending reminders regarding stool tests may result in an increase in the knowledge & participation of subjects in screening programs for colorectal cancer.