Efficacy of communication skills training on colorectal cancer screening by GPs: a cluster randomised controlled trial

I Aubin-Auger; C Laouénan; J Le Bel; A Mercier; D Baruch; J P Lebeau; A Youssefian; T Le Trung; L Peremans; P Van Royen

doi:10.1111/ecc.12310

Efficacy of communication skills training on colorectal cancer screening by GPs: a cluster randomised controlled trial

Eur J Cancer Care (Engl). 2016 Jan;25(1):18-26. doi: 10.1111/ecc.12310. Epub 2015 Apr 6.

Authors

I Aubin-Auger^{1

2}, C Laouénan^{3

4

5}, J Le Bel^{1

3

4}, A Mercier⁶, D Baruch^{1

2}, J P Lebeau⁷, A Youssefian¹, T Le Trung⁸, L Peremans^{9

10}, P Van Royen¹⁰

Affiliations

¹ Département de Médecine Générale, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris.
² EA Recherche Clinique Coordonnée Ville-Hôpital, Méthodologies et Société (REMES), Paris.
³ IAME, UMR 1137, INSERM, Paris.
⁴ Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris.
⁵ AP-HP, Hôpital Bichat, Service de Biostatistique, Paris.
⁶ Département de Médecine Générale, Rouen University, Rouen.
⁷ Département de Médecine Générale, Tours University, Tours.
⁸ Prévention Santé Val d'Oise, Cergy Saint Christophe, France.
⁹ Department of Public Health, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels.
¹⁰ Department of Primary and Interdisciplinary Care, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.

PMID: 25851842
DOI: 10.1111/ecc.12310

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) mass screening has been implemented in France since 2008. Participation rates remain too low. The objective of this study was to test if the implementation of a training course focused on communication skills among general practitioners (GP) would increase the delivery of gaiac faecal occult blood test and CRC screening participation among the target population of each participating GP. A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted with GP's practice as a cluster unit. GPs from practices in the control group were asked to continue their usual care. GPs of the intervention group received a 4-h educational training, built with previous qualitative data on CRC screening focusing on doctor-patient communication with a follow-up of 7 months for both groups. The primary outcome measure was the patients' participation rate in the target population for each GP. Seventeen GPs (16 practices) in intervention group and 28 GPs (19 practices) in control group participated. The patients' participation rate in the intervention group were 36.7% vs. 24.5% in the control group (P = 0.03). Doctor-patient communication should be developed and appear to be one of the possible targets of improvement patients adherence and participation rate in the target population for CRC mass screening.

Keywords: colorectal cancer screening; communication skills; educational intervention; general practice.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adult
Cluster Analysis
Colorectal Neoplasms / diagnosis*
Communication*
Early Detection of Cancer*
Education, Professional / methods*
Family Practice* / statistics & numerical data
Female
France
Humans
Male
Mass Screening / methods
Mass Screening / statistics & numerical data
Middle Aged
Occult Blood
Outcome Assessment, Health Care
Patient Participation / statistics & numerical data
Patient-Centered Care / standards
Physician-Patient Relations*
Practice Patterns, Physicians' / statistics & numerical data