Narrative or Fact-Based Videos in Increasing Colorectal Cancer Screenings in African American Communities

This randomized clinical trial studies narrative or fact-based videos in increasing colorectal cancer screenings in African American communities. Informational videotapes may help increase the number of participants who engage in colonoscopy screenings. It is not yet known whether narrative videos may be more effective than fact-based videos in increasing colorectal cancer screenings.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVES: I. Assess both individual and environmental factors that guide decisions and behaviors to engage or not engage in colonoscopy screenings for African Americans in the two communities. II. Using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach, develop and pilot a peer-led, narrative-based colorectal cancer behavioral intervention for increasing colonoscopy screening behaviors in African Americans. III. Examine the efficacy of a narrative communication-style group intervention compared to a didactic intervention to influence African Americans' engagement in colorectal cancer screening, including examining the degree to which the community interventions impact cognitive and affective decision making factors about health care seeking. IV. Examine and explore contextual factors that may influence the process of behavior change to better understand colorectal cancer (CRC) screening and health care seeking behaviors. OUTLINE: Program locations are randomized to 1 of 2 arms. ARM I: Participants view videos with information about CRC and screening delivered by personal narrative. ARM II: Participants view videos with information about CRC and screening delivered by informative fact-based message. After completion of study, patients are followed up at 3 and 6 months.