Health Information AvoidanceNCT06972667
Interventions to Decrease Health Information Avoidance
A study testing Video to promote colonoscopy and Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home tests in people with Health Information Avoidance, run by State University of New York at Buffalo at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Health information avoidance is an overlooked threat to the reach and effectiveness of health communication. To fully realize the benefits of our sizeable investments in health messaging, it is necessary to identify strategies for reducing health information avoidance. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 45 to 75 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Health Information Avoidance
- What is being tested?
- Video to promote colonoscopy and Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home tests
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1,500 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 10 Dec 2025to Sep 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 45 to 75 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- between the ages of 45 and 75 years
- never diagnosed with colorectal cancer
- non-adherent to colorectal cancer screening guidelines
- half will have a score at or greater than the mid-point on the colorectal cancer information avoidance scale (≥2.5) on the pre-screening survey such that half of the sample are people who tend to avoid colorectal cancer information
Who cannot join
- not between the ages of 45 and 75 years
- have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer
- adherent to colorectal cancer screening guidelines
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Interventions to Decrease Cancer Information Avoidance
Health information avoidance is an overlooked threat to the reach and effectiveness of health communication. To fully realize the benefits of our sizeable investments in health messaging, it is necessary to identify strategies for reducing health information avoidance. The researchers will test a video-based strategy for promoting colorectal cancer screening designed to reduce defensive colorectal cancer information avoidance and increase message reach by increasing engagement among those who would otherwise avoid the message. The researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the effects of the intervention video to an attentional control video on colorectal cancer screening intentions and uptake.
Read the detailed description
The study will test the efficacy and mediating mechanisms of brief video interventions including elements demonstrated to be effective in reducing health information avoidance (self-efficacy boosting, humor, calm affect induction). It is expected that the videos to benefit people who typically avoid health information yet still be beneficial for people who do not avoid health information, thus being suitable for dissemination to general audiences. It is hypothesized that the interventions will strengthen intentions to be screened, increase colorectal cancer risk information seeking and increase screening.
Following recommended practices, the two intervention arms and the control arm will include multiple versions of the videos to control for actor effects. All intervention videos operationalize the same psychological mechanisms but are delivered by 4 different actors and promote either colonoscopy or stool tests. The 8 parallel intervention and 4 control videos will be treated as random effects.
The intervention videos will be tested in members of the Ipsos panel who are not adherent to colorectal cancer screening guidelines, half of whom will be selected because they tend to avoid colorectal cancer information. Effects of the intervention videos will be compared to those of an attentional control video about food safety.
- Conditions
- Health Information Avoidance
- Being tested
- Video to promote colonoscopy, Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home tests
- Keywords
- colorectal cancer screening, information avoidance, RCT, screening intentions, video
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Video to promote colonoscopyOther
This video contains elements designed to engage and persuade people who tend to avoid colorectal cancer information to have a colonoscopy. Psychological elements include self-efficacy boosting, humor, and calming affect induction.
Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home testsOther
This video contains elements designed to engage and persuade people who tend to avoid colorectal cancer information to screen for colorectal cancer with a home test. Psychological elements include self-efficacy boosting, humor, and calming affect induction.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Video to promote colonoscopy | Experimental | Participants will view a brief video promoting colonoscopy with self-efficacy enhancement, humor and calm affect induction Receives: Other: Video to promote colonoscopy |
| Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home tests | Experimental | Participants will view a brief video promoting colorectal cancer home testing with self-efficacy enhancement, humor and calm affect induction Receives: Other: Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home tests |
| Attentional control video | No intervention | The attentional control video will be about food safety and will be the same length and include the same actors and music. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Strength of screening intentions
Participants will rate their intention to be screened with the item, "I intend to get checked for colon cancer within the next 6 months" on a scale from 1 to 4 with 4 being stronger intentions.
Measured: Day 1
Strength of intentions to talk to a health care provider about being screened for colorectal cancer
This outcome will be assessed with the item, "I will talk to a health care provider about getting checked for colon cancer within the next 6 months".
Measured: Day 1
Proportion of participants who seek personal risk information
Participants will be asked whether they want to be redirected at the end of the study to complete the online Siteman Cancer Center colorectal cancer risk calculator.
Measured: Day 1
Proportion of participants screened for colorectal cancer after 9 months
The researchers will assess whether participants have been screened for colorectal cancer in the 9 months since participating in the intervention phase of the study.
Measured: At least 9 months after start of study
Secondary outcomes (2)
Self-efficacy for colorectal cancer screening
Sel-efficacy will be assessed with 2 items with which participants rate their confidence in arranging to get screened and completing a screening test on a scale ranging from 0 to 10, with 10 indicating greater self-efficacy.
Measured: Day 1
Positive and negative affect
Positive and negative affect will be assessed with the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule Short Form (PANAS-SF). Scores range from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating more of a given affect.
Measured: Day 1
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 May 2025
- Study start10 Dec 2025
- Primary completionSep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionSep 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Health Information AvoidanceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- The study will be a randomized controlled trial. Participants (N=1,500), half of whom will be selected because they tend to avoid colorectal cancer information, will be randomized to treatment groups using a stratified permuted block randomization scheme to ensure equal proportion of avoiders across videos.
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator
- Enrolment
- 1,500 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- State University of New York at Buffalo
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Heather Orom, State University of New York at Buffalo
- Investigators
- Heather Orom Associate Professor, PhD, Principal investigator, University at Buffalo
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06972667
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00009059
- Other IDs
- R01CA276430
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 3 May 2025
- Last updated
- 4 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: All non-identifying study data will be shared.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Interventions to Decrease Cancer Information Avoidance
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06972667
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY00009059
- Conditions
- Health Information Avoidance
- Keywords
- colorectal cancer screening, information avoidance, RCT, screening intentions, video
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Active, not recruiting
- Enrolment
- 1,500 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- State University of New York at BuffaloUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Cancer Institute (NCI)
- Study start
- 10 Dec 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Sep 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 15 May 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Health information avoidance is an overlooked threat to the reach and effectiveness of health communication. To fully realize the benefits of our sizeable investments in health messaging, it is necessary to identify strategies for reducing health information avoidance. The researchers will test a video-based strategy for promoting colorectal cancer screening designed to reduce defensive colorectal cancer information avoidance and increase message reach by increasing engagement among those who would otherwise avoid the message. The researchers will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the effects of the intervention video to an attentional control video on colorectal cancer screening intentions and uptake.
Detailed description
The study will test the efficacy and mediating mechanisms of brief video interventions including elements demonstrated to be effective in reducing health information avoidance (self-efficacy boosting, humor, calm affect induction). It is expected that the videos to benefit people who typically avoid health information yet still be beneficial for people who do not avoid health information, thus being suitable for dissemination to general audiences. It is hypothesized that the interventions will strengthen intentions to be screened, increase colorectal cancer risk information seeking and increase screening.
Following recommended practices, the two intervention arms and the control arm will include multiple versions of the videos to control for actor effects. All intervention videos operationalize the same psychological mechanisms but are delivered by 4 different actors and promote either colonoscopy or stool tests. The 8 parallel intervention and 4 control videos will be treated as random effects.
The intervention videos will be tested in members of the Ipsos panel who are not adherent to colorectal cancer screening guidelines, half of whom will be selected because they tend to avoid colorectal cancer information. Effects of the intervention videos will be compared to those of an attentional control video about food safety.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (participant, investigator)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- The study will be a randomized controlled trial. Participants (N=1,500), half of whom will be selected because they tend to avoid colorectal cancer information, will be randomized to treatment groups using a stratified permuted block randomization scheme to ensure equal proportion of avoiders across videos.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Video to promote colonoscopy | Experimental | Other: Video to promote colonoscopyParticipants will view a brief video promoting colonoscopy with self-efficacy enhancement, humor and calm affect induction |
| Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home tests | Experimental | Other: Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home testsParticipants will view a brief video promoting colorectal cancer home testing with self-efficacy enhancement, humor and calm affect induction |
| Attentional control video | No intervention | –The attentional control video will be about food safety and will be the same length and include the same actors and music. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 45 to 75 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- between the ages of 45 and 75 years
- never diagnosed with colorectal cancer
- non-adherent to colorectal cancer screening guidelines
- half will have a score at or greater than the mid-point on the colorectal cancer information avoidance scale (≥2.5) on the pre-screening survey such that half of the sample are people who tend to avoid colorectal cancer information
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- not between the ages of 45 and 75 years
- have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer
- adherent to colorectal cancer screening guidelines
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Video to promote colonoscopyThis video contains elements designed to engage and persuade people who tend to avoid colorectal cancer information to have a colonoscopy. Psychological elements include self-efficacy boosting, humor, and calming affect induction. | Other | Video to promote colonoscopy |
| Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home testsThis video contains elements designed to engage and persuade people who tend to avoid colorectal cancer information to screen for colorectal cancer with a home test. Psychological elements include self-efficacy boosting, humor, and calming affect induction. | Other | Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home tests |
Primary outcome
Strength of screening intentions
Time frame: Day 1
Participants will rate their intention to be screened with the item, "I intend to get checked for colon cancer within the next 6 months" on a scale from 1 to 4 with 4 being stronger intentions.
Strength of intentions to talk to a health care provider about being screened for colorectal cancer
Time frame: Day 1
This outcome will be assessed with the item, "I will talk to a health care provider about getting checked for colon cancer within the next 6 months".
Proportion of participants who seek personal risk information
Time frame: Day 1
Participants will be asked whether they want to be redirected at the end of the study to complete the online Siteman Cancer Center colorectal cancer risk calculator.
Proportion of participants screened for colorectal cancer after 9 months
Time frame: At least 9 months after start of study
The researchers will assess whether participants have been screened for colorectal cancer in the 9 months since participating in the intervention phase of the study.
2 secondary outcomes
Self-efficacy for colorectal cancer screening
Time frame: Day 1
Positive and negative affect
Time frame: Day 1
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Feb 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. All non-identifying study data will be shared.
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Heather Orom Associate Professor, PhD principal investigator
University at Buffalo
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Video to promote colonoscopy and Video to promote screening for colorectal cancer with home tests in people with Health Information Avoidance, run by State University of New York at Buffalo at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: under way, not looking for participants, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Strength of screening intentions (time frame: Day 1). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Feb 2026.