Bringing colorectal cancer screening to rural clinics
Implementing evidence based colorectal cancer screening in rural clinics
This project tests whether mailing FIT kits plus offering patient navigation helps more people in rural communities complete colorectal cancer screening.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Indiana University Indianapolis NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Indianapolis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11294213 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you get care at a rural clinic, the project will try sending fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits to your home and offer patient navigation (help by phone or in person) to support completion. Researchers will work with rural clinic staff to bundle facilitation strategies so clinics can deliver the mailed-FIT plus navigation program reliably. They will track who returns kits, who completes follow-up colonoscopies after a positive test, and overall changes in screening rates. The team will use these results to guide how to spread the approach to other rural clinics.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults served by participating rural clinics who are eligible for colorectal cancer screening but are overdue or not up-to-date (commonly ages 45–75) are the ideal candidates.
Not a fit: People who are already up-to-date with screening, need immediate diagnostic care, or are not patients at a participating rural clinic are unlikely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, more people in rural areas could complete screening earlier, leading to earlier detection and fewer deaths from colorectal cancer.
How similar studies have performed: Previous programs using mailed FIT kits plus patient navigation have increased screening rates, but applying and sustaining these strategies in under-resourced rural clinics remains less tested.
Where this research is happening
Indianapolis, United States
- Indiana University Indianapolis — Indianapolis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Champion, Victoria Lee — Indiana University Indianapolis
- Study coordinator: Champion, Victoria Lee
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.