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Cancer > Cancer Screening > Client Incentives Alone
Client-oriented Cancer Screening Interventions:
Client Incentives Alone
On behalf of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services, a team of subject matter specialists and other scientists conducted a systematic review of published studies evaluating the effectiveness of client incentives alone in increasing screening for breast, cervical and colorectal cancer.
The Task Force concluded there was insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of client incentives when used alone in increasing screening for these types of cancer.
- Client incentives are small, non-coercive rewards (cash or coupons) that
encourage people to accept cancer screening.
- The use of incentives is based on the assumption that, if offered a modest reward,
clients will:
- seek cancer screening for themselves, or
- encourage others to seek screening.
- Client incentives can be offered in combination with client reminders or educational
interventions.
Findings from the Systematic Review
- There was insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of client incentives alone in increasing breast,
cervical, or colorectal cancer screening by mammography, Pap test, or fecal occult blood testing (FOBT), respectively,
because no studies qualified for the systematic review.
Prior to and during the literature review and data analysis, the review team and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services attempt to address the key questions of what interventions work, for whom, under what conditions, and at what cost. Lack of sufficient information often leaves one or more of these questions unanswered. The Community Guide refers to these as “research gaps". Research gaps are pulled together in the form of a basic set of questions to inform a research agenda for those in the field. Each completed Community Guide review includes a section on research gaps (or issues) and this is included in final evidence review publications.
Cancer is a major public health problem in the United States. For more information on the scope of this problem, visit
Background on Screening for Breast, Cervical and Colorectal Cancers.
Evidence Review:
Baron RC, Rimer BK, Breslow RA, et al.
Client-directed interventions to increase community
demand for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer
screening: a systematic review.
Am J Prev Med 2008;35(1S):34-55.
Recommendations:
Task Force on Community Preventive
Services. Recommendations for client- and
provider-directed interventions to increase
breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening
Am J Prev Med 2008;35(1S):21-5.
The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and the Task Force on Community Preventive Services and do not necessarily represent the official position of the CDC.
The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation: Guide to Community Preventive Services. Client-oriented cancer screening interventions: client incentives alone.
www.thecommunityguide.org/cancer/screening/client-incentives.htm.
Last Updated: MM/DD/YYYY.
Review completed: July 2008
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