Screen for Life Campaign Research

Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign development is based on extensive research, including a review of communication and behavioral science literature.

Since 1999, CDC has conducted more than 200 focus groups in more than 30 U.S. cities to assess knowledge, behaviors, and screening practices related to colorectal cancer. Screen for Life also conducts focus groups to test campaign messages and materials with intended audiences. The groups have been segmented by gender, age (50–64 and over age 65), and ethnicity (mixed ethnicities, African-American, and Hispanic).

Related Publications and Presentations

Research conducted for Screen for Life has generated several journal articles and poster presentations—

Publications

• Cooper CP, Gelb CA, Chu J. Life cycle of television public service announcements disseminated through donated airtime. Preventive Medicine Reports 2015;2:202–205.
• Cooper CP, Gelb CA, Lobb K. Celebrity appeal: Reaching women to promote colorectal cancer screening. Journal of Women’s Health 2015;24(3):169–173.
• Ekwueme DU, Howard DH, Gelb CA, Rim SH, Cooper CP. Analysis of the benefits and costs of a national campaign to promote colorectal cancer screening: CDC’s Screen for Life National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign. Health Promotion Practice 2014; 15(5):750–758.
• Cooper CP, Gelb CA, Hawkins NA. How many “get screened” messages does it take? Evidence from colorectal cancer screening promotion in the United States, 2012. Preventive Medicine 2013;60:27–32.
• Cooper CP, Gelb CA, Chu J, Polonec L. Can donated media placements reach intended audiences? Health Promotion Practice 2013;14(5):656–662.
• Ekwueme DU, Howard D, Gelb C, Rim SH, Cooper C. An exploratory analysis of the benefits and costs of a national campaign to promote colorectal cancer screening: CDC’s Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign. Value in Health 2013;16(3):A142.
• Cooper CP, Gelb CA, Jameson H, Macario E, Jorgensen CM, Seeff L. Developing English and Spanish television public service announcements to promote colorectal cancer screening. Health Promotion Practice 2005;6(4):385–393.
• Cooper CP, Williams KN, Carey KA, Fowler CS, Frank M, Gelb CA. Advertising campaign on a major Internet search engine to promote colorectal cancer screening. British Medical Journal 2004;328(7449):1179–1180.
• Jorgensen C, Gelb CA, Richards TB, Cooper CP. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Donated television airplay of colorectal cancer education public service announcements—United States, 1999–2002. MMWR 2003;52(10):196–199.
• Jorgensen C, Gelb C, Merritt T, Seeff L. CDC’s Screen for Life: A national colorectal cancer action campaign. Journal of Women’s Health and Gender-Based Medicine 2001;10(5):417–422.

Presentations

• Gelb C, Chu J, Grella L. Why should I get screened? Addressing common misconceptions about colorectal cancer screening. National Conference on Health Communication, Marketing, and Media, Atlanta, Georgia. August 21, 2013.
• Gelb C, Thayer M. “No Excuses/No Hay Excusas” and “This Is Personal” television public service announcements presented at the 2012 Annual American Public Health Association Film Festival.
• Temple S, Chu J, Thayer M, Gelb C. Prompting colorectal cancer screening behavior in the United States through building awareness, engaging communities, and leveraging partners. Second World Social Marketing Conference, Dublin, Ireland. April, 2012.
• Gelb CA. Strategies in primary prevention: Communication strategies; maximizing effectiveness of Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign. World Cancer Congress, International Union Against Cancer. Geneva, Switzerland. August, 2008.
• Gelb CA. The power of partnership: Expanding the reach of Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign. CDC Cancer Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. August, 2007.
• Gelb CA, Cooper CP, Seeff L, Lobb K. Using celebrity endorsements to expand the reach of a multimedia national colorectal cancer screening awareness campaign. CDC Cancer Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. August, 2007.
• Gelb CA, Cooper CP, Jameson H. Developing English and Spanish television public service announcements promoting colorectal cancer screening. International Union Against Cancer Conference, Washington, DC. July, 2006.
• Cooper CP, Gelb CA, Seeff L. Promoting and evaluating colorectal cancer screening through primary care physicians. International Union Against Cancer Conference, Washington, DC. July, 2006.
• Cooper CP, Williams KN, Carey KA, Gelb CA, Fowler CS, Frank M. Advertising on Yahoo! to promote colorectal cancer screening: CDC’s “Screen for Life” Internet campaign. (poster) Preventive Medicine 2004 (annual meeting of the American College of Preventive Medicine), Orlando, Florida. February, 2004.
• Gelb CA, Williams KN, Cooper CP. National efforts to increase screening for colorectal cncer. CDC Cancer Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. September, 2003.
• Gelb CA, Williams KN, Cooper CP. The screening room: DCPC’s new public and professional education products. CDC Cancer Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. September, 2003.
• Williams KN, Carey KA, Gelb CA, Cooper CP. Targeting Americans with online colorectal cancer prevention messages: Does it work? CDC Cancer Conference, Atlanta, Georgia. September, 2003.

Search CDC’s scientific articles on colorectal cancer.