Victoria Cancer Council Colorectal Cancer Survey

Full description

The collection is a result of data collected from colorectal cancer patients and their first degree relatives (FDRs) as part of a project testing the influence of intervention strategies and socio demographic factors on proportion of subjects who undertake screening tests. The index case patients for the study were recruited from Victorians who had a diagnosis of colorectal cancer within the previous four months. Recruitment continued for the first 12 months of the study. FDRs, defined as parents, siblings or children of the index case, were subdivided into three risk categories. The dataset is the result of computer-assisted telephone interviews (CATI) of index case patients and their FDRs. Both groups were asked to provide information about their demographic characteristics, details of health care providers and their quality of life. Index cases were asked to provide information on family history of cancer and information regarding FDRs. FDRs were asked to provide information to assess their likely risk status and on their history of colorectal screening. The index cases and their FDRs were randomly divided into two groups. One control group that received minimal ethical care and another treatment group that received the intervention care comprising detailed tailored advice - which was also sent to their GPs. Follow up surveys were/will be conducted at 12, 24 and 36 months. These surveys gather information on quality of life, tests undertaken and their outcomes, adherence to guideline recommendations and attrition bias. Data collection commenced in 2009 and is ongoing; on 15 April 2011 the database contained: 486 completed baseline surveys of index cases; 406 FDR surveys (but details of 1658). Of the 1658 FDRs, 924 have increased risk, 238 have moderate risk, and 477 have high risk.