Encouraging compliance with bowel and cervical cancer screening using behavioural nudges

Background and study aims
Screening programmes have become widespread in developed countries, but how to improve uptake is an understudied area especially in deprived regions. This study aims to test whether it is possible to increase attendance rates for cervical and bowel screening in the deprived area of East and West Marsh, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire by sending a behaviourally-informed reminder letter from GP practices to non-attenders and by entering people into a lottery, if they get screened.
Who can participate?
All patients of the recruited GP patients can participate if they are eligible for the relevant screening programmes (cervical or bowel cancer). Participants must have not booked and attended a previous screening appointment in the previous twelve months after being sent a letter.
What does the study involve?
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups - either the control group, the letter group and the lottery and letter group. The control group will not receive any intervention. The letter group will receive a behaviourally informed letter. The lottery and letter group will receive the same letter, and will be offered the chance to win a lottery if they get screened. GP practices will then report back about who attended screenings following the study.