Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2012 Dec;43(6 Suppl 5):S425-34.
doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2012.09.004.

Use of cancer control referrals by 2-1-1 callers: a randomized trial

Matthew W Kreuter  1 , Katherine S Eddens, Kassandra I Alcaraz, Suchitra Rath, Choi Lai, Nikki Caito, Regina Greer, Nikisha Bridges, Jason Q Purnell, Anjanette Wells, Qiang Fu, Colleen Walsh, Erin Eckstein, Julia Griffith, Alissa Nelson, Cicely Paine, Tiffany Aziz, Anne M Roux
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Use of cancer control referrals by 2-1-1 callers: a randomized trial

Matthew W Kreuter et al. Am J Prev Med. 2012 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Callers to 2-1-1 have greater need for and lesser use of cancer control services than other Americans. Integrating cancer risk assessment and referrals to preventive services into 2-1-1 systems is both feasible and acceptable to callers.

Purpose: To determine whether callers will act on these referrals.

Methods: In a randomized trial, 2-1-1 callers (n=1200) received standard service and those with at least one cancer risk factor or need for screening were assigned to receive verbal referrals only, verbal referrals + a tailored reminder mailed to their home, or verbal referrals + a telephone health coach/navigator. All data were collected from June 2010 to March 2012 and analyzed in March and April 2012.

Results: At 1-month follow-up, callers in the navigator condition were more likely to report having contacted a cancer control referral than those receiving tailored reminders or verbal referrals only (34% vs 24% vs 18%, respectively; n=772, p<0.0001). Compared to verbal referrals only, navigators were particularly effective in getting 2-1-1 callers to contact providers for mammograms (OR=2.10, 95% CI=1.04, 4.22); Paps (OR=2.98, 95% CI=1.18, 7.54); and smoking cessation (OR=2.07, 95% CI=1.14, 3.74).

Conclusions: Given the extensive reach of 2-1-1s and the elevated risk profile of their callers, even modest response rates could have meaningful impact on population health if proactive health referrals were implemented nationally.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow diagram
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Eddens KS, Kreuter MW, Archer K. Proactive screening for health needs in United Way’s 2-1-1 Information and Referral Service. J Soc Serv Res. 2011;37(2):113–123. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Purnell JQ, Kreuter MW, Eddens KS, et al. Cancer control needs of 2-1-1 callers in Missouri, North Carolina, Texas and Washington. J Health Care Poor Underserved. 2012;23(2):752–67. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Savas LS, Fernández ME, Jobe D, Carmack CC. Human papillomavirus vaccination: a 2-1-1 helpline study of minority-parent decision-making. Am J Prev Med. 2012;43(6S):XXX–XXX. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Alcaraz KI, Arnold LD, Eddens KS, et al. Exploring 2-1-1 service requests as potential markers for cancer control needs. Am J Prev Med. 2012;43(6S):XXX–XXX. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Cortinois AA, Glazier RH, Caidi N, Andrews G, Helbert-Copley M, Jadad AR. Toronto’s 2-1-1 healthcare services for immigrant populatins. Am J Prev Med. 2012;43(6S):XXX–XXX. - PubMed

Publication types