Interventions to Decrease Health 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.

Sex

All

Minimum age

45 Years

Maximum age

75 Years

Inclusion Criteria:

* 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

Exclusion Criteria:

* not between the ages of 45 and 75 years
* have been diagnosed with colorectal cancer
* adherent to colorectal cancer screening guidelines