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Understanding Intentions and Action in Colorectal Cancer Screening

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Annals of Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Background

Factors involved in forming intentions to attend cancer screening may be different from those involved in translating intentions into action.

Purpose

To test the hypotheses that social cognition variables predict intention better than action, and that life difficulty variables predict action better than intention, in colorectal screening.

Methods

Participants from one center in the UK Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Trial (n = 2,969) were categorized according to their screening intention, measured at baseline, and their subsequent attendance at screening (recorded at the clinic). Differences in factors related to life difficulty (socioeconomic deprivation, health, stress, social support) and social cognition variables were examined, and discriminant analysis was used to identify sets of variables that best differentiated the groups.

Results

Social cognition variables were strongly associated with intention but only weakly with action. In contrast, factors related to life difficulties (socioeconomic deprivation, poor health status) were better predictors of action than intention.

Conclusion

Social cognition variables appeared to be important determinants of screening intentions. Other variables—that may be markers of barriers to implementing plans—were more strongly associated with action. To maximize colorectal screening participation, research is needed to identify a wider range of determinants of attendance.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Cancer Research UK and the Medical Research Council.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Behaviour Research Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK

    Emily Power MSc, Cornelia H. M. Van Jaarsveld Ph.D, Anne Miles Ph.D & Jane Wardle Ph.D

  2. Screening and Test Evaluation Program, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Kirsten McCaffery Ph.D

  3. Colorectal Cancer Population and Screening Research Group, Imperial College London, London, UK

    Wendy Atkin Ph.D

Authors
  1. Emily Power MSc
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  2. Cornelia H. M. Van Jaarsveld Ph.D
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  3. Kirsten McCaffery Ph.D
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  4. Anne Miles Ph.D
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  5. Wendy Atkin Ph.D
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  6. Jane Wardle Ph.D
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jane Wardle Ph.D.

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Power, E., Van Jaarsveld, C.H.M., McCaffery, K. et al. Understanding Intentions and Action in Colorectal Cancer Screening. ann. behav. med. 35, 285–294 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-008-9034-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12160-008-9034-y

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