Increasing Cancer Screening: Provider Assessment and Feedback
(2008 Archived Review)
This is an archived summary of the systemic review and Task Force finding published in 2008. Read a summary of the updated review and related Task Force finding.
These interventions assess how often providers offer or deliver screening services to clients (assessment) and then give providers information about their performance (feedback). The feedback may describe the performance of an individual provider or of a group of providers (e.g., mean performance for a practice). The performance may be compared with a goal or standard.
Summary of Task Force Recommendations & Findings
The Community Preventive Services Task Force recommends interventions that include provider assessment and feedback based on sufficient evidence of their effectiveness in increasing:
- Breast cancer screening by mammography
- Cervical cancer screening by Pap test
- Colorectal cancer screening by fecal occult blood test (FOBT)
The Task Force finds insufficient evidence to determine the effectiveness of using provider assessment and feedback to increase colorectal cancer screening by flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or double contrast barium enema.
Results from the System Review
Eight studies qualified for the systematic review.
Breast Cancer
- Proportion of study participants completing mammography: median increase of 14 percentage points (4 studies)
Cervical Cancer
- Proportion of study participants completing Pap tests: median increase of 9 percentage points (4 studies)
Colorectal Cancer
- Proportion of study participants completing FOBTs: median increase of 13 percentage points (3 studies)
- The single effect measure for flexible sigmoidoscopy indicated no substantial change.
These results were based on a systematic review of all available studies, conducted on behalf of the Task Force by a team of specialists in systematic review methods, and in research, practice and policy related to cancer prevention.
Supporting Materials
- Analytic framework – See Figure 1 on page S68
[PDF - 336KB] - Evidence Gaps
- Search Strategy
Publications
Sabatino SA, Habarta N, Baron RC. Interventions to increase recommendation and delivery of screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers by healthcare providers: systematic reviews of provider assessment and feedback and provider incentives. [PDF - 336KB] Am J Prev Med 2008;35(1S):67-74.
Task Force on Community Preventive Services. Recommendations for client- and provider-directed interventions to increase breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. [PDF - 74KB] Am J Prev Med 2008;35(1S):21-5.
More Community Guide publications about Cancer Prevention and Control
Disclaimer
The findings and conclusions on this page are those of the Community Preventive Services Task Force and do not necessarily represent those of CDC.
Sample Citation
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. Increasing cancer screening: provider assessment and feedback (2008 archived review). www.thecommunityguide.org/cancer/screening/provider-oriented/assessment_archive.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.
Review completed: July 2008
- Page last reviewed: April 10, 2012
- Page last updated: April 10, 2012
- Content source: The Guide to Community Preventive Services
