A nudge strategy to increase the uptake of colorectal cancer screening in Saudi Arabia: A pragmatic randomized trial in the Hail region.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this research was to examine the effectiveness of using a nudge strategy to encourage eligible clients to participate in colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) at primary care facilities. Additionally, it emphasizes the good outcomes of utilizing nudge in primary healthcare settings by reflecting on the novel experience of family physicians and nurses in the field of CRCS. Nudge is a cost-effective intervention that serves as a choice architect to assist people in making wise decisions for their lives. It is a subtly changed environment or combination of words that push individuals to make a decision without restricting their alternatives.

RESEARCH METHODS: This is a six-month, pragmatic trial with open-label recruitment that enrolled people with an average CRC risk from four screening healthcare zones that included 34 public primary care facilities. The study protocol is registered and can be accessed here: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05785975.

RESULTS: An obvious increase in the proportion of the uptake of CRCS screening is higher in the two intervention sites-Al Hait General Hospital Zone (38%) and Al-Shamli General Hospital Zone (26%), than in the two control sites, Bagaa General Hospital Zone (18%) and King Khalid Hospital Zone (18%).

CONCLUSIONS: Using the nudge strategy to increase CRCS uptake is valuable and effective; additionally, front-line family physicians and nurses in primary care are encouraged to use a planned, positive, and highly selective set of words when offering screening. Policymakers could make use of these research outcomes when designing new guidelines for CRCS.