ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT07925489Updated Nov 9, 2026

Effects of Telephone Intervention and Nudging Information on Cancer Screening Behavior

An interventional study of telephone benefits group and telephone social norms group in Cancer Screening Tests and Health Behavior, sponsored by Chiayi Christian Hospital. Completed at 1 site in Taiwan. Open to participants aged 30 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-09.

Sponsored by Chiayi Christian Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Screening

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 3 years 9 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Jan 2023, registered Oct 2026).
Updated Nov 9, 2026Newly registeredGo to Updates ↓
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
1,200
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
30 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

Objectives: Telephone interventions are often delivered to promote cancer screening for early detection and treatment. However, the effects of nudging information provided in telephone interventions on cancer screening behavior remain unclear. Accordingly, this study investigated the effects of telephone-delivered nudging information regarding screening benefits and social norms on cancer screening behavior.

Methods: This randomized controlled trial included 1,200 community-dwelling individuals meeting screening criteria for colorectal, breast, cervical, or oral cancer. Participants were assigned to one of four groups: telephone benefits, telephone social norms, telephone reminder, and letter reminder. The dependent variable was cancer screening behavior within 6 months after the intervention.

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Conditions studied

  • Cancer Screening Tests
  • Health Behavior

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Keywords

  • cancer screening
  • health behavior
  • nudging information
  • telephone intervention
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In context

Health Behavior

967 studies on the registry are indexed under Health Behavior; 165 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 1,200 is above the median of 150 across 824 interventional studies indexed under Health Behavior.

Browse Health Behavior studies →

Lead sponsor

Chiayi Christian Hospital is the lead sponsor of 27 studies on the registry; 9 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
30 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
Yes

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Community-dwelling individuals who met the criteria for cancer screening outlined by the Health Promotion Administration under Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare were recruited. Participants were required to have sufficient communication ability and the ability to receive a telephone interview.
  • colorectal cancer: people aged 50 to 74 years who have not received a fecal occult blood test within the past 2 years;
  • breast cancer: women aged 45 to 69 years or those aged 40 to 44 years with a family history of breast cancer who have not received a mammography within the previous 2 years;
  • cervical cancer: women aged over 30 years who have not received a pap smear test within the past 3 years; and
  • oral cancer: the general people aged over 30 years or indigenous residents of Taiwan aged over 18 years with a history of chewing betel nut or smoking who have not received an oral mucosal examination within the past 2 years.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • This study did not consider individuals with severe cognitive impairment or a previous cancer diagnosis, as indicated by chart records.
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Screening
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
1,200 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    telephone benefits group

    Behavioral: telephone benefits group

  • Experimental
    telephone social norms group

    Behavioral: telephone social norms group

  • Active comparator
    telephone reminder group

    Behavioral: telephone reminder group

  • Active comparator
    letter reminder group

    Behavioral: letter reminder group

Interventions

  • Behavioraltelephone benefits group

    In the intervention, participants were provided with three categories of information: (1) the reasons why they were receiving the information (delivered by telephone or letter), that is, information regarding the criteria they met, such as their age or lack of screening history within a certain time period; (2) reasons why they should undergo screening, including nudging information related to benefits or social norms; and (3) a description of how they could make cancer screening appointments. In the telephone benefits group, key information regarding the benefits of cancer screening was provided with consideration of the health belief model (Lau et al., 2020).

  • Behavioraltelephone social norms group

    In the intervention, participants were provided with three categories of information: (1) the reasons why they were receiving the information (delivered by telephone or letter), that is, information regarding the criteria they met, such as their age or lack of screening history within a certain time period; (2) reasons why they should undergo screening, including nudging information related to benefits or social norms; and (3) a description of how they could make cancer screening appointments. In the telephone social norms group, the following were provided with consideration of the theory of planned behavior (Ritchie et al., 2021).

  • Behavioraltelephone reminder group

    In the intervention, participants were provided with three categories of information: (1) the reasons why they were receiving the information (delivered by telephone or letter), that is, information regarding the criteria they met, such as their age or lack of screening history within a certain time period; (2) reasons why they should undergo screening, including nudging information related to benefits or social norms; and (3) a description of how they could make cancer screening appointments. The telephone reminder group only received the first and third types of information.

  • Behavioralletter reminder group

    In the intervention, participants were provided with three categories of information: (1) the reasons why they were receiving the information (delivered by telephone or letter), that is, information regarding the criteria they met, such as their age or lack of screening history within a certain time period; (2) reasons why they should undergo screening, including nudging information related to benefits or social norms; and (3) a description of how they could make cancer screening appointments. The letter reminder group only received the first and third types of information.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Cancer behavior

    The primary outcome is whether the participants completed cancer screening or not (yes or no)

    Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 6 months.

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Study locations

1 site
  • National Cheng Kung University
    Tainan, 701, Taiwan
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References and documents

Publications

  • Klein, W. M. (2003). Self-prescriptive, perceived, and actual attention to comparative risk information. Psychology & Health, 18(5), 625-643. https://doi.org/10.1080/0887044031000118465
  • Tsipa A, O'Connor DB, Branley-Bell D, Day F, Hall LH, Sykes-Muskett B, Wilding S, Taylor N, Conner M. Promoting colorectal cancer screening: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials of interventions to increase uptake. Health Psychol Rev. 2021 Sep;15(3):371-394. doi: 10.1080/17437199.2020.1760726. Epub 2020 May 13. PubMed 32401175 ↗
  • Singer E, Couper MP, Fagerlin A, Fowler FJ, Levin CA, Ubel PA, Van Hoewyk J, Zikmund-Fisher BJ. The role of perceived benefits and costs in patients' medical decisions. Health Expect. 2014 Feb;17(1):4-14. doi: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2011.00739.x. Epub 2011 Nov 10. PubMed 22070416 ↗
  • Ritchie D, Van den Broucke S, Van Hal G. The health belief model and theory of planned behavior applied to mammography screening: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Public Health Nurs. 2021 May;38(3):482-492. doi: 10.1111/phn.12842. Epub 2020 Nov 30. PubMed 33258163 ↗
  • Ploug T, Holm S. Doctors, Patients, and Nudging in the Clinical Context--Four Views on Nudging and Informed Consent. Am J Bioeth. 2015;15(10):28-38. doi: 10.1080/15265161.2015.1074303. PubMed 26479099 ↗
  • Oyalowo A, Forde KA, Lamanna A, Kochman ML. Effect of Patient-Directed Messaging on Colorectal Cancer Screening: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2022 Mar 1;5(3):e224529. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.4529. PubMed 35357457 ↗
  • Nolan JM, Schultz PW, Cialdini RB, Goldstein NJ, Griskevicius V. Normative social influence is underdetected. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2008 Jul;34(7):913-23. doi: 10.1177/0146167208316691. PubMed 18550863 ↗
  • Monticciolo DL, Malak SF, Friedewald SM, Eby PR, Newell MS, Moy L, Destounis S, Leung JWT, Hendrick RE, Smetherman D. Breast Cancer Screening Recommendations Inclusive of All Women at Average Risk: Update from the ACR and Society of Breast Imaging. J Am Coll Radiol. 2021 Sep;18(9):1280-1288. doi: 10.1016/j.jacr.2021.04.021. Epub 2021 Jun 19. PubMed 34154984 ↗
  • Lin ML, Huang JJ, Li SH, Lee FH, Hou MF, Wang HH. Effects of different reminder strategies on first-time mammography screening among women in Taiwan. BMC Health Serv Res. 2020 Feb 12;20(1):114. doi: 10.1186/s12913-020-4948-6. PubMed 32050951 ↗
  • Lau J, Lim TZ, Jianlin Wong G, Tan KK. The health belief model and colorectal cancer screening in the general population: A systematic review. Prev Med Rep. 2020 Oct 6;20:101223. doi: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101223. eCollection 2020 Dec. PubMed 33088680 ↗
  • Knudsen AB, Rutter CM, Peterse EFP, Lietz AP, Seguin CL, Meester RGS, Perdue LA, Lin JS, Siegel RL, Doria-Rose VP, Feuer EJ, Zauber AG, Kuntz KM, Lansdorp-Vogelaar I. Colorectal Cancer Screening: An Updated Modeling Study for the US Preventive Services Task Force. JAMA. 2021 May 18;325(19):1998-2011. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.5746. PubMed 34003219 ↗
  • Klein WM, Stefanek ME. Cancer risk elicitation and communication: lessons from the psychology of risk perception. CA Cancer J Clin. 2007 May-Jun;57(3):147-67. doi: 10.3322/canjclin.57.3.147. PubMed 17507441 ↗
  • Jasurda JS, Danieli R, Yamanaka B, Shaukat A. Telephone Reminders Improve Fecal Immunochemical Test Return Rates. Am J Gastroenterol. 2022 Sep 1;117(9):1536-1538. doi: 10.14309/ajg.0000000000001868. Epub 2022 Jun 10. PubMed 35973150 ↗
  • Hopewell S, Chan AW, Collins GS, Hrobjartsson A, Moher D, Schulz KF, Tunn R, Aggarwal R, Berkwits M, Berlin JA, Bhandari N, Butcher NJ, Campbell MK, Chidebe RCW, Elbourne D, Farmer A, Fergusson DA, Golub RM, Goodman SN, Hoffmann TC, Ioannidis JPA, Kahan BC, Knowles RL, Lamb SE, Lewis S, Loder E, Offringa M, Ravaud P, Richards DP, Rockhold FW, Schriger DL, Siegfried NL, Staniszewska S, Taylor RS, Thabane L, Torgerson D, Vohra S, White IR, Boutron I. CONSORT 2025 statement: updated guideline for reporting randomised trials. BMJ. 2025 Apr 14;389:e081123. doi: 10.1136/bmj-2024-081123. PubMed 40228833 ↗
  • Hofmann B, Stanak M. Nudging in screening: Literature review and ethical guidance. Patient Educ Couns. 2018 Sep;101(9):1561-1569. doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2018.03.021. Epub 2018 Mar 27. PubMed 29657111 ↗
  • Davey C, White V, Gattellari M, Ward JE. Reconciling population benefits and women's individual autonomy in mammographic screening: in-depth interviews to explore women's views about 'informed choice'. Aust N Z J Public Health. 2005 Feb;29(1):69-77. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-842x.2005.tb00752.x. PubMed 15782876 ↗
  • Champion VL, Christy SM, Rakowski W, Lairson DR, Monahan PO, Gathirua-Mwangi WG, Stump TE, Biederman EB, Kettler CD, Rawl SM. An RCT to Increase Breast and Colorectal Cancer Screening. Am J Prev Med. 2020 Aug;59(2):e69-e78. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2020.03.008. PubMed 32690203 ↗
  • Bouvard V, Wentzensen N, Mackie A, Berkhof J, Brotherton J, Giorgi-Rossi P, Kupets R, Smith R, Arrossi S, Bendahhou K, Canfell K, Chirenje ZM, Chung MH, Del Pino M, de Sanjose S, Elfstrom M, Franco EL, Hamashima C, Hamers FF, Herrington CS, Murillo R, Sangrajrang S, Sankaranarayanan R, Saraiya M, Schiffman M, Zhao F, Arbyn M, Prendiville W, Indave Ruiz BI, Mosquera-Metcalfe I, Lauby-Secretan B. The IARC Perspective on Cervical Cancer Screening. N Engl J Med. 2021 Nov 11;385(20):1908-1918. doi: 10.1056/NEJMsr2030640. No abstract available. PubMed 34758259 ↗
  • Blumenthal-Barby JS, Krieger H. Cognitive biases and heuristics in medical decision making: a critical review using a systematic search strategy. Med Decis Making. 2015 May;35(4):539-57. doi: 10.1177/0272989X14547740. Epub 2014 Aug 21. PubMed 25145577 ↗
  • Agide FD, Sadeghi R, Garmaroudi G, Tigabu BM. A systematic review of health promotion interventions to increase breast cancer screening uptake: from the last 12 years. Eur J Public Health. 2018 Dec 1;28(6):1149-1155. doi: 10.1093/eurpub/ckx231. PubMed 29351597 ↗

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

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Timeline

1 registry update since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Ran from Jan 2023 to primary completion in Jan 2023, 0 months.

Of 567 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Health Behavior, half reached primary completion within 15 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 33. This study's 0 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 585 studies reached it within 15 months; a quarter within 5 and three quarters within 32.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Oct 16, 2026
First posted
Nov 9, 2026
StartActual
Jan 1, 2023
Primary completionActual
Jan 1, 2023
CompletionActual
Oct 31, 2023
Last update
Nov 9, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
Registered
First appeared on the registry. No changes since
Nov 9, 2026
Show all 1 update
  1. Nov 9, 2026
    First appeared on the registry

From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07925489
Lead sponsor
Chiayi Christian Hospital
Collaborators
National Science and Technology Council, Taiwan
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Nov 9, 2026
Start date
Jan 1, 2023
Primary completion
Jan 1, 2023
Completion
Oct 31, 2023
Last update
Nov 9, 2026

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Nov 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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