Brooklyn health centers improve colorectal cancer screening rates

A randomized trial conducted at five federally qualified health centers in Brooklyn, New York, has demonstrated that a multilevel outreach intervention can significantly improve colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates among underserved adults.

The intervention, which combined mailed fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits, patient education, and navigation services, resulted in a 35.9% screening completion rate within six months. This compares to a 23.6% completion rate for patients receiving usual care. The study, presented by Aasma Shaukat, MD, MPH, of the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, at the American College of Gastroenterology 2026 Annual Scientific Meeting, specifically targeted populations with high burdens of social determinants of health.

The benefits were observed across different age groups, including adults aged 45 to 49, who became eligible for average-risk screening following updated guidelines in 2021. In this younger cohort, the intervention group saw a 31.9% completion rate versus 20.1% in the usual care group.