Event: XV National SIPSA Congress – PSYCHOLOGY FOR HEALTH: INTERSECTIONS, UNIQUENESS, EQUITY, AND SUSTAINABILITY, June 5-7, 2025, University of Turin
Contribution: A psychosocial approach to promote colorectal screening in Italy: a targeted vs tailored intervention protocol
Authors: Marcella Bianchi, Miriam Capasso, Rosa Fabbricatore, Anna Rosa Donizzetti, Maria Francesca Freda, Francesco Palumbo, Daniela Caso
Abstract:
Despite numerous public health initiatives, adherence to colorectal cancer screening (CRCS) remains suboptimal in Southern Italy, including the Campania region. This contribution presents the protocol for T1 and T2 of an intervention aimed at increasing participation in CRCS through targeted and tailored communication strategies. The intervention is based on T0 data, which identified psychosocially differentiated subgroups relevant for message personalization.
A sample of eligible individuals from Campania with irregular previous adherence to CRCS participated in a three-wave survey. T0 data (N=1089, aged 50-74) were analyzed using Reduced K-means clustering on psychosocial predictors of adherence (attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, action and coping planning, anticipated regret, self-identity) to classify participants into three stable clusters.
In a randomized controlled trial (T1), the effect of persuasive targeted messages, tailored messages, and a control condition is compared. In the targeted condition, participants receive a persuasive message based on their cluster membership. The tailored condition combines cluster membership with an individualized motivational cue. Outcomes include post-intervention intention and actual screening behavior after six months (T2).
Preliminary cluster analyses identified three profiles: (1) medium levels on most predictors and low action planning, (2) high scores on all predictors, and (3) generally low scores with minimal attitude. These findings inform the intervention design.
This study proposes a psychosocial approach employing targeted and tailored persuasive messages to promote CRCS. The innovative intervention strategy may help reduce disparities by optimizing engagement strategies in health programs, with potential applications to other health behaviors.