Improving cancer symptom awareness and help-seeking among adults living in socioeconomically deprived communities in the UK using a facilitated health check: A protocol for the Awareness and Beliefs About Cancer (ABACus) Randomised Control Trial

Moriarty, Yvonne ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7608-4699, Townson, Julia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8679-3619, Quinn-Scoggins, Harriet ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6136-070X, Padgett, Louise, Owen, Sioned, Smits, Stephanie ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7897-150X, Playle, Rebecca ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2989-1092, Dimitropoulou, Polyxeni, Sewell, Bernadette, Kolovou, Vasiliki, Buckle, Peter, Carter, Ben, Edwards, Adrian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6228-4446, Hepburn, Julie, Matthews, Maura, Mitchell, Caroline, Neal, Richard D, Robling, Michael ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1004-036X, Wood, Fiona ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7397-4074 and Brain, Kate ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9296-9748 2019. Improving cancer symptom awareness and help-seeking among adults living in socioeconomically deprived communities in the UK using a facilitated health check: A protocol for the Awareness and Beliefs About Cancer (ABACus) Randomised Control Trial. BMC Public Health 19 (1) , 285. 10.1186/s12889-019-6612-9

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Abstract

Background Cancer survival is lower in socioeconomically deprived communities, partly due to low awareness of symptoms, negative beliefs and delayed help-seeking. We developed an interactive health check questionnaire facilitated by trained lay advisors. It entails 29 questions about background, lifestyle and health with tailored behaviour change advice. Personalised results are printed using a traffic light (red/amber/green) system, highlighting areas where action should be taken. This is an individually randomised control trial to test effectiveness of the health check on symptom recognition. Methods A total 246 participants aged 40+ years will be recruited from community and healthcare settings in socioeconomically deprived areas of Yorkshire and South Wales. Participants will be randomised to receive the health check or standard care (1:1 ratio). Outcome measures include: adapted Awareness and Beliefs about Cancer (primary outcome), brief State Trait Anxiety Inventory, intentions and motivation to adopt recommended health behaviours (early symptom presentation, cancer screening and lifestyle behaviours), adapted Client Service Receipt Inventory, brief medical history/screening and demographic questionnaire at: baseline; 2-weeks; and 6-months post-randomisation. A purposive sample of intervention sessions will be audio-recorded (n = 24) and half will additionally be observed (n = 12). Semi-structured interviews will take place at 2-weeks (n = 30) and 6-months (n = 15–20) post-randomisation. The primary analysis will compare cancer symptom recognition scores between arms at 2-weeks. Secondary analysis will assess cancer beliefs, barriers/time to presentation, screening and lifestyle behaviours, anxiety and costs. A process evaluation will assess intervention fidelity, dose and contamination.

Item Type:	Article
Status:	Published
Schools:	Medicine Centre for Trials Research (CNTRR)
Publisher:	BioMed Central
ISSN:	1471-2458
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	19 March 2019
Date of Acceptance:	28 February 2019
Last Modified:	22 Feb 2024 14:32
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/120899

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