Invitation reminder study
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN02240458 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN02240458 |
| Protocol serial number | 1 |
| Sponsor | Queen Mary University of London (UK) |
| Funder | NHS Cancer Screening Programmes (UK) |
- Submission date
- 22/10/2012
- Registration date
- 30/11/2012
- Last edited
- 17/05/2016
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Cancer
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Breast screening saves lives by detecting cancer earlier, which can make treatment more effective. This reduction in cancer deaths depends partially on women regularly attending their three-yearly routine screening appointments. Even though many women who do not attend will have made an informed decision, others will be in favour of screening but may have simply forgotten about the appointment. Womens attendance at breast screening should be based on decisions about the likely benefits and risks of screening rather than on whether they remember their appointment. We are therefore carrying out a study to investigate whether a reminder letter sent by post to arrive close to a womans screening appointment increases attendance and whether this approach is cost-effective.
Who can participate?
Women living in Bolton, Bury and Rochdale, South Lancashire, and Liverpool will be entered into the study when they are invited to their routine three-yearly screening appointment.
What does the study involve?
One half of the women invited to their routine screening receive a reminder letter around two days before the screening appointment in addition to the normal invitation letter. The other group with only receive the standard invitation letter without any reminders.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
This reminder letter was produced following consultation, including with lay people, to ensure that it contains only accurate information, and is non-coercive in tone. Women in the reminder group of the study who are in favour of screening but may have simply forgotten about the appointment will be reminded to either attend the appointment or call in and re-book. We do not anticipate any risks that may adversely affect the participants as a result of taking part in the trial.
Where is the study run from?
Centre for Cancer Prevention (CCP) at Barts and The London, Queen Mary University of London, UK
When is study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
November 2012 to December 2013
Who is funding the study?
National Health Service (NHS) - Cancer Screening Services
Who is the main contact?
Prof. Stephen Duffy
s.w.duffy@qmul.ac.uk
Contact information
Scientific
Centre for Cancer Prevention
Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine
Queen Mary University of London
Charterhouse Square
London
EC1M 6BQ
United Kingdom
| Phone | +44 (0)20 7882 3535 |
|---|---|
| s.w.duffy@qmul.ac.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Multicentre randomised controlled trial |
| Secondary study design | Randomised controlled trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | A randomised controlled trial of the effect of a breast screening appointment reminder letter on population uptake |
| Study objectives | The aim of this study is to investigate whether sending an appointment reminder letter to women invited for routine breast screening improve appointment attendance. |
| Ethics approval(s) | Not provided at time of registration |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Breast cancer screening |
| Intervention | Women in the intervention arm will be sent a reminder letter by post approximately seven days before their screening appointment. |
| Intervention type | Other |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
An increase in attendance within 30 days of the first offered appointment |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
Attendance within 90 days of the first offered appointment, secondly, within 180 days of the date the episode was opened, and thirdly, at the date and time of the first offered appointment. |
| Completion date | 31/12/2013 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Sex | Female |
| Target sample size at registration | 20000 |
| Key inclusion criteria | All women scheduled for invitation to their next breast screening appointment in Liverpool, South Lancashire, and Bolton, Bury and Rochdale. |
| Key exclusion criteria | 1. Self referrals 2. Early re-calls 3. Women who are invited because of a higher risk of breast cancer 4. Women who have cancelled their appointment before the letter extract is generated and who do not re-book at a later stage are excluded as they will never appear in any of the letter extracts. |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/11/2012 |
| Date of final enrolment | 31/12/2013 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- England
Study participating centre
EC1M 6BQ
United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Not provided at time of registration |
| IPD sharing plan |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | results | 19/01/2016 | Yes | No | |
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
17/05/2016: Publication reference added.
