A community champion led breast cancer screening intervention for underserved groups
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN91970791 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN91970791 |
| IRAS number | 348207 |
| Secondary identifying numbers | NIHR164908 |
- Submission date
- 16/06/2025
- Registration date
- 14/07/2025
- Last edited
- 11/08/2025
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Overall study status
- Ongoing
- Condition category
- Cancer
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women during their lifetime, and early detection through screening can save lives. The NHS offers breast screening every three years to women aged 50 to 70, but not everyone attends. In London, only 56% of women go to their screening appointments, which is below the NHS target of 70%. Attendance is especially low among women from minority ethnic backgrounds and those living in less wealthy areas.
This study aims to improve screening attendance in Hounslow by working with trusted women from local communities—called “community champions.” These champions will share information and encourage women to attend their screenings.
Who can participate?
This study is focused on reaching women in Hounslow who are less likely to attend breast screening, especially those from minority ethnic backgrounds or lower-income areas. These women are not being asked to take part in a clinical trial, but they may be involved by receiving information or attending events.
What does the study involve?
If you’re part of the target group, you might see or hear messages about breast screening through leaflets, videos in different languages, bus stop adverts, or local radio. You might also hear from community champions at local events or through places like salons or faith groups. Some women may be asked to complete a short survey about whether they saw the materials and how they felt about them.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
The main benefit is getting helpful, trusted information about breast screening, which could support you in making informed decisions about your health. There are no known risks to taking part in this study, as it only involves receiving information or answering a survey.
Where is the study run from?
Imperial College London (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
January 2025 to August 2026
Who is funding the study?
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (UK).
Who is the main contact?
Gaby Judah, g.judah@imperial.ac.uk
Contact information
Public, Scientific, Principal Investigator
St. Mary's Hospital
Praed Street
London
W2 1NY
United Kingdom
 ORCID ID |
0000-0003-3322-9760 |
|---|---|
| Phone | +44 7866530031 |
| g.judah@imperial.ac.uk |
Study information
| Study design | Pragmatic non-randomized evaluation |
|---|---|
| Primary study design | Interventional |
| Secondary study design | Non randomised study |
| Study setting(s) | Community |
| Study type | Screening |
| Participant information sheet | 47494 Participant Information sheet (focus groups) GJ.pdf |
| Scientific title | A community champion led breast cancer screening intervention for underserved groups |
| Study objectives | Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, affecting 1 in 8 women in their lifetime. Breast cancer screening (BCS) detects cancer at an earlier stage, when survival is greater, and is estimated to save 1,300 lives annually. However BCS attendance is falling, and particularly low in London (56% in 2023). There are inequalities in uptake: those from deprived areas and ethnic minority groups are less likely to attend. The study aims to test the impact of a community champions intervention on BCS uptake in underserved groups and wider population. We will measure exposure to the intervention and test whether exposure is associated with more positive attitudes towards screening, we will also assess cost-effectiveness. |
| Ethics approval(s) |
Not yet submitted, Ethics committee name not provided (Address not provided, City not provided, Zip/postal code not provided; Telephone number not provided; not@provided.com), ref: Reference number not provided |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Breast cancer screening |
| Intervention | The intervention will consist of a set of behavioural science informed, co-designed materials as an intervention package. These include a leaflet, animated video, wallet card, a poster, and bus stop adverts. These will be disseminated by a community engagement approach. The second element of the intervention is the Community Champion model. The way in which the intervention resources will be disseminated, is a key part of the intervention, as the Community Champion model helps to create trust in the information resources being shared. Additionally, community champions will receive training on commonly asked questions about BCS and will therefore be able to complement the intervention materials with further information and explanation. Total duration is 12 months (6 months intervention, 6 months follow up) in intervention borough, and 12 months of data in the comparator boroughs. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure | Uptake of BCS, within 3 months of initial invitation in general population - data from London Breast Screening Hub |
| Secondary outcome measures | Uptake of BCS, within 3 months of initial invitation in low-uptake subgroups including women from areas of high deprivation (IMD1-3) and ethnic minority groups. |
| Overall study start date | 01/01/2025 |
| Completion date | 01/08/2026 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer, Patient |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 50 Years |
| Upper age limit | 70 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Target number of participants | 11,000 |
| Key inclusion criteria | Women in Hounslow (and comparator London boroughs) eligible for BCS invited for BCS during the intervention period. |
| Key exclusion criteria | Women who are not in Hounslow (and comparator London boroughs) eligible for BCS invited for BCS during the intervention period. |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/10/2025 |
| Date of final enrolment | 01/08/2026 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- England
- United Kingdom
Study participating centre
United Kingdom
Sponsor information
University/education
NIHR Coordinating Centre
Alpha House
Enterprise Road
Exhibition Road
London
SW7 2AZ
England
United Kingdom
| Phone | +44 (0)20 7589 5111 |
|---|---|
| rgit@imperial.ac.uk | |
| Website | https://www.imperial.ac.uk/ |
"ROR" |
https://ror.org/041kmwe10 |
Funders
Funder type
Government
Government organisation / National government
- Alternative name(s)
- National Institute for Health Research, NIHR Research, NIHRresearch, NIHR - National Institute for Health Research, NIHR (The National Institute for Health and Care Research), NIHR
- Location
- United Kingdom
Results and Publications
| Intention to publish date | |
|---|---|
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
| IPD sharing plan summary | Data sharing statement to be made available at a later date |
| Publication and dissemination plan | We will produce at least 2 peer reviewed academic publications (e.g. in Implementation Science). One will be a protocol paper which describes the intervention package and evaluation plans. There will be at least one paper on outcomes, presenting the analysis of uptake, assessment of exposure to the intervention and uptake differences based on exposure, and the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. We will present at national and international conferences on the study protocol, and study findings, e.g. Lancet Public Health Science, CRUK Early Diagnosis, Health Services Research and European Health Psychology Society conferences. |
| IPD sharing plan | The data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participant information sheet | 17/06/2025 | No | Yes | ||
| Protocol file | version 1 | 07/04/2025 | 17/06/2025 | No | No |
Additional files
Editorial Notes
11/08/2025: The date of first enrolment was changed from 01/08/2025 to 01/10/2025.
16/06/2025: Trial's existence confirmed by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) (UK).
