Colorectal cancer screening in Canada 2021/2022
Initial colorectal screening promotional strategies
Nine provinces and two territories have specific promotional strategies for initial recruitment to colorectal screening. Examples of promotional strategies used include program-related correspondence, public awareness campaigns (e.g., Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month), social media, education for healthcare providers and more.
Of the seven jurisdictions that send mailed invitation letters, six provinces send reminders if screening is not initiated.
Initial colorectal screening promotional strategies
| P/T | Public awareness campaigns | Social media campaigns | Program website | Promo materials (e.g., brochures) | Radio or print ads | Community events | Booths at conference and health symposium | Education resources and events for healthcare providers | Education resources for public | Physician linked correspondence program | Online interactive reports | Promotion of guidelines to PCP | Billboards and transit ads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YT | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| NT | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓* | ✓* | ✓* | |||||
| NU | |||||||||||||
| BC | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| AB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||
| SK | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| MB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| ON | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓^ | ✓~ | ✓~ | ✓ | ✓ ~ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| QC** | ✓ | ||||||||||||
| NB | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||||
| NS | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||||||||||
| PE | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |||||
| NL | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
NT: *Community events were planned, but cancelled due to COVID..
ON: ^This occurs some years and is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health (e.g., Mar 2020, Sept 2021)
ON: ~These occur via Regional Cancer Programs
QC: **Other promotional strategy: fund various non-profit organizations to support them in their promotional campaigns on colorectal cancer screening
Colorectal screening reminder notifications
| Province/Territory | Reminder letter |
|---|---|
| YT | |
| NT | Reminder letters sent out 8-12 weeks after initial FIT distribution |
| NU | |
| BC | |
| AB | |
| SK | Reminder letter sent 9 weeks after initial invitation |
| MB | Reminder letter sent 56 days after initial invitation |
| ON | Reminder letter sent 4 months after initial invitation; if screening does not occur, eligible people receive another invitation to screen in 2 years |
| QC | |
| NB | Reminder letter sent 12 weeks after initial invitation |
| NS | |
| PE | |
| NL | Reminder letter sent 12 weeks after initial invitation |