Social Media Messages for Colorectal Cancer Screening

Overseen By Arlinda Ruco, MPH

Age: 18 - 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Unity Health Toronto

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if social media messages can encourage colorectal cancer screening. The study will test various message types to identify the most effective ones. Participants will be divided into groups; some will receive tailored messages, while others will receive none for comparison. Individuals living in Ontario, using Facebook, and aged 55-64 may qualify for this trial. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance public health messaging.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that these social media messages are safe for promoting colorectal cancer screening?

Research shows that using social media to promote colorectal cancer (CRC) screening is generally safe. Studies have found that platforms like Facebook and Instagram effectively raise awareness without causing harm. For example, one study found that CRC-related messages on social media were well-received by users and did not cause any negative effects. Another study examined a Facebook campaign aimed at reducing CRC risk and found that participants responded positively. This suggests that using social media to encourage CRC screening is a safe method. Reports of negative effects from these types of messages have not emerged. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores using social media messages to boost colorectal cancer screening rates. Unlike traditional methods like mail reminders or doctor recommendations, this approach taps into the everyday digital habits of people, potentially reaching them more effectively. The trial is unique because it tests different types of messages, including those tailored by sex and those selected based on preferences from focus groups, to find the most impactful way to encourage screenings. By leveraging social media's wide reach and personalization capabilities, this trial could uncover a more engaging and accessible way to promote health screenings.

What evidence suggests that social media messages are effective for increasing colorectal cancer screening participation?

Research shows that social media can help increase cancer screening rates. A review of social media efforts found they effectively promote cancer screening and early diagnosis. In this trial, participants will receive different social media messages aimed at encouraging colorectal cancer screening. One arm will receive a specific message preferred by the target population, while another arm will receive tailored messages based on sex. Previous studies have shown that such messages can raise awareness and motivate people to get screened. A small study in rural Appalachia used Facebook to reach people at risk for colorectal cancer and found that these messages helped reduce risk factors. While more research is needed to understand social media's direct impact on screening rates, early results are promising and suggest it could be a useful tool for encouraging more people to participate in screenings. ^{2 3 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Nancy N. Baxter, MD, FRCSC, FACS, PhD

Principal Investigator

Unity Health Toronto

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for Facebook users in Ontario who are over the age of 50. It's designed to see if certain social media messages can encourage people to get screened for colorectal cancer.

Inclusion Criteria

I am over 50 and use Facebook in Ontario.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants receive social media messages or no message (control) to test the effectiveness on screening intention

1 month

Follow-up

Participants' engagement metrics such as intention to screen, cost-per-click, click-through rates, number of likes, impressions, and comments are monitored

1 month

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Social Media Messages

Trial Overview The study is testing different social media messages about colorectal cancer screening. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive one of several tailored messages, and researchers will track if these lead to increased screening intentions.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Arm #4 Active Control 1 Intervention

This arm will receive the fourth social media message that is preferred by our target population as identified from our previous focus group study.

Group II: Control Arm Active Control 1 Intervention

This arm will not receive any intervention.

Group III: Message #3 Active Control 1 Intervention

This arm will receive the third social media message that is preferred by our target population as identified from our previous focus group study.

Group IV: Tailored Arm Active Control 1 Intervention

This arm will receive social media messages that will be tailored by sex.

Group V: Message #1 Active Control 1 Intervention

This arm will receive one of five social media messages that is preferred by our target population through focus groups that are being conducted as part of a previous study.

Group VI: Message #2 Active Control 1 Intervention

This arm will receive the second social media message that is preferred by our target population as identified from our previous focus group study.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Unity Health Toronto

Lead Sponsor

Trials

572

Recruited

470,000+

Applied Health Research Centre

Collaborator

Trials

23

Recruited

70,900+

Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Collaborator

Trials

1,417

Recruited

26,550,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8245197/

Using Social Media to Reduce Colorectal Cancer Risk in ... In this study, we pilot-tested #CRCFree, a Facebook-based intervention aimed at reducing colorectal cancer (CRC) risk in rural Appalachian adults at risk ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7683249/

Use of Social Media to Promote Cancer Screening and ... This scoping review aimed to map the evidence for social media interventions to improve cancer screening and early diagnosis, including their impact on ...

3. bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-022-12732-w

Using Facebook to promote the uptake of colorectal cancer ... We developed social media messages promoting CRC screening and evaluated them using a qualitative descriptive study. The study was performed in ...

4. medicine.iu.edu medicine.iu.edu/news/2025/09/colorectal-cancer-screening-personalized-health-data

Informing patients of personal colorectal cancer risks does not ... A study of Indianapolis patients found providing personalized health information did not increase colorectal cancer testing rates.

5. thepermanentejournal.org thepermanentejournal.org/doi/10.7812/TPP/25.069

Comparative Effectiveness of Text + Video vs Text Alone to ... Previous studies have shown that mailed FIT outreach is effective in increasing CRC screenings across populations, leading to the possibility of ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11864091/

Instagram Posts Promoting Colorectal Cancer Awareness This study highlights the potential of Instagram as a platform for promoting CRC awareness, particularly through posts about screening and early detection and ...

7. ascopubs.org ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/CCI.21.00180

Social Media Discussions About Colorectal Cancer During ... There were 72,229 unique CRC-related tweets by 31,170 users. Most users were male (66%) and older than 40 years (57%). Individuals accounted for ...