Period: 2018-2019

Researchers

Vilma Irazola, Ezequiel García Elorrio, Cintia Spira, Marilina Santero, Santiago Melendi, Ana Soledad Cavallo.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of a multicomponent collaborative strategy to improve screening and early detection of Colorectal Cancer (CRC) in the at-risk population of Primary Care Centers (CAPS) of the Argentine public health system.

Summary

This study is a pragmatic cluster-randomized clinical trial that evaluates a participatory and dynamic methodology based on improvement cycles. 10 CAPS will be selected: 5 will be randomly assigned to receive an intervention to increase CRC screening rates (improvement cycles) and 5 to the control arm (usual strategies). The study will be carried out in the reference area of ​​selected CAPS in the province of Mendoza, included in the National Program for Prevention and Early Detection of CRC (PNCCR). 119 participants will be included per CAPS, in total, 1190 participants.

In the intervention branch, learning sessions will be carried out with health providers, in order to identify opportunities for improvement aimed at the design and application of an innovative intervention based on best practices.

The primary outcomes that will be measured are: proportion of the at-risk population that completes screening; and proportion of the population classified as at usual risk or increased by risk factors.

The result is expected to develop a multicomponent intervention that increases CRC screening rates in the public sector.

Financing

IDB – Inter-American Development Bank.

Type of study

Pragmatic cluster randomized clinical trial (clusters).