PDF Supporting Statement

Focus Group Testing to Effectively Plan and Tailor Cancer Prevention and Control
Communication Campaigns
(OMB No. 0920-0800. Expiration date January 31, 2012)
Information Collection #3:
Focus Group Testing for the
Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign
June 29, 2010
Summary
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requests OMB approval to conduct
audience research supporting the Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action
Campaign. During the focus groups, participants will be asked questions to assess
knowledge, attitudes and behaviors related to colorectal cancer and to provide feedback and
opinions about potential public service announcement (PSA) storyboard concepts (see
Attachment 4). Results will be used to develop salient and effective messaging and to
ultimately expand the suite of broadcast and print PSAs, all of which can be found at
www.cdc.gov/screenforlife.
The proposed data collection effort is a component of the generic clearance package
entitled “Focus Group Testing to Effectively Plan and Tailor Cancer Prevention and Control
Communication Campaigns” (approved 1/8/09; expiration date 1/31/2012). The generic
clearance structure is ideally suited to the iterative nature of health message development
and testing. Furthermore, it is a critical element of DCPC’s overall plan to prevent and
control colorectal cancer through public and provider awareness of screening benefits. The
attached information collection instruments contain specific questions pertaining to
colorectal cancer, consistent with the types of questions included with the original generic
information collection request.
Attachments
1.
2.
3.
4.

Participant Screener for Colorectal Cancer Audience Research
Consent Form
Moderator’s Guide for Colorectal Cancer Audience Research
PSA Storyboard Concepts

Background
Among cancers affecting both men and women, colorectal cancer is the nation’s second
leading cause of cancer deaths. In 2006, 139,127 new cases of colorectal cancer were
diagnosed and 53,196 adults died from this disease in the United States (USCS). There is
strong scientific evidence that colorectal cancer screening helps prevent the disease, by
finding precancerous polyps that can be removed before they turn into cancer. Screening
also helps find this cancer early, when treatment works best. However, only 61% of
Americans have been screened according to national guidelines.
(http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5710a2.htm). Thus, activities to promote

screening for colorectal cancer are a high priority for DCPC as illustrated by one of the
Division’s initiatives Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign.
Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign
CDC’s Screen for Life is a multimedia awareness campaign created in1999 to educate
Americans about colorectal cancer and the benefits of screening. The campaign targets
men and women aged 50 and older as well as health care providers. Specific populations,
such as African Americans and Hispanics, are also embedded in the target audience
segment.
Basic campaign messages are the following:
Among cancers affecting both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second
leading cancer killer in the United States.
Don’t wait for symptoms. Polyps and/or cancer in the colon or rectum do not always
cause symptoms—that’s why it is important to be screened for colorectal cancer.
Screening saves lives.
Screening helps prevent colorectal cancer. Screening tests help find precancerous
polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer.
Screening helps find colorectal cancer early, when treatment can be very effective.
Risk increases with age; most colorectal cancers occur in people aged 50 and older.
If you are 50 or older, see your doctor and get screened regularly for colorectal
cancer.
Medicare and most insurance plans help pay for colorectal cancer screening.
Campaign materials include television and radio PSAs in English and Spanish, print
advertisements, posters, fact sheets and brochures for patients in English and Spanish, outof-home PSA placements including airport dioramas and bus shelters, newspaper articles,
and video and audio news releases in English and Spanish.
Screen for Life’s website (www.cdc.gov/screenforlife) includes campaign background
information, colorectal cancer information, scientific resources, and campaign materials that
can be downloaded and/or ordered for use in communities, medical practices, and other
settings. The website also serves as a resource for health educators, health care providers,
state and local organizations, and others interested in colorectal cancer. All 50 state health
departments, two tribal organizations and the District of Columbia are active partners in
campaign efforts. CDC supports states’ educational efforts by designing materials that are
easy to localize, download and print; and also offers free local tagging for TV PSAs.
Current campaign priorities include developing new print and broadcast PSAs, requiring
focus group research to ensure the campaign messages and products are developed with
accuracy, appeal, and address an overall need.
Consumer Focus Groups
In a focus group, a small group of people engage in a discussion of selected topics of
interest, typically directed by a moderator who guides the discussion in order to obtain the
participants’ opinions. Focus groups capture the collective insight of a group while
preserving individual preferences. In this setting, participants can describe their experiences
and preferences without the limitations of preset response categories. Furthermore, focus

groups produce rich data, complete with nuances that often may be obscured in quantitative
data collection techniques. Data collection procedures are consistent with those described in
the approved generic package.
Twenty-four total groups will be held in summer 2010. Anticipated cities include
Philadelphia, PA; Los Angeles, CA; Chicago, IL; Miami, FL; and Charleston, SC. A
maximum of nine men and women aged 45-75 will participate in each group, resulting in an
estimated total of 216 focus group participants (9 respondents/group x 24 groups = 216
respondents). Based on previous experience with focus group recruitment, we estimate that
432 individuals (216 x 2 = 432) must be screened through telephone interviews to yield 216
completed responses. Respondents with relevant characteristics will be recruited using a
customized screener (see Attachment 1). To minimize the possibility of having too few
appropriate focus group participants (thereby forcing group cancellation), more participants
are invited to each in-person group than needed. In the event that > 9 participants report for
a scheduled session, excess participants will receive the honorarium and will be dismissed.
The proposed $60.00 level of incentive payment is consistent with the terms described in
section A.9 of the approved generic ICR. Prior to conducting the individual focus groups,
consent forms will be signed by all participants assuring them of the voluntary nature of their
responses and informing them about the presence of an audio recording (see Attachment
2). Respondents will be asked for their opinions about PSA concepts and messages (see
Attachment 4). Focus group discussions will be facilitated by a professional focus group
moderator using a moderator’s guide (see Attachment 3).

Burden Estimate

Type of
Respondents
Men and
Women aged
45-75 years
in the General
Public

Form
Name

No. of
Responses
Number of
per
Respondents Respondent

Average
Burden per
Response (in
hours)

Total
Burden
(in hours)

Screening
Form

432

1

3/60

22

Moderator
Guide
(Focus
Group
Guide)

216

1

1.5

324

Total

346

References
U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 2006 Incidence and
Mortality. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009.