The effect of educational intervention based on theory of planned behavior on the improvement of colorectal cancer screening intention among average‑risk individuals referring to Asadabad city clinics

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer in men and the fourth most common cancer in women in Iran. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effect of educational intervention based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) on the improvement of CRC screening intention among average‑risk individuals.

This quasi‑experimental study was performed on the 50–69‑year‑old individuals referred to Asadabad city clinics in 2020. The individuals were randomly assigned to multistage cluster sampling in each intervention and control group. The instrument used in this research was a researcher‑made questionnaire based on TPB. Educational intervention was conducted for the intervention group, one of their family members, and staff of clinic under intervention. Finally, the data were entered into SPSS and analyzed utilizing descriptive and analytical statistics. Results were considered significantly <0.05.

There were no significant differences between two intervention and control groups in the preintervention phase in terms of the mean scores of attitude (P = 0.58), subjective norms (P = 0.59), and behavioral intention (P = 0.66). However, in the postintervention phase, these differences were significant. Furthermore, regarding the mean score of perceived behavioral control, there was a significant difference between the two groups in the preintervention phase (P < 0.02), while in the postintervention phase, this difference was not significant (P = 0.29).

Educational intervention based on the TPB has been effective in improving the CRC screening intention among average‑risk individuals. Therefore, using the results of this research and developing appropriate educational programs at the community level can be increased the participation of community members in CRC screening programs.