Study Participants
CRC
MAY, RECRUITMENT
This cross-sectional study uses data from the CONFIRM study. Full details of the trial design have been previously published.Participant recruitment occurred across 46 VA medical centers between May 22, 2012, and December 1, 2017, with planned follow-up through 2028. Veterans aged 50 to 75 years without signs or symptoms of CRC and due for screening were eligible for enrollment. Prior screening test use was allowed but had to be outside the screening window associated with a specific modality (eg, no exposure to colonoscopy in the past 9.5 years). Various recruitment efforts were used, including outreach to health care practitioners through on-site study coordinators and posters and mailed outreach to veterans who appeared to meet eligibility criteria. Manual or automated medical record review processes leveraging administrative codes and/or electronic screening reminder flags were performed to identify veterans who appeared due for screening. Prior to any direct contact with the veteran, VA CIRB-approved opt-out letters were used that also allowed the veteran to contact the coordinator directly if they were interested in study participation.Veterans appearing eligible (through initial review) and either expressing interest in study participation or not opting out of contact were interviewed for eligibility and interest either in person or by telephone. Study coordinators were instructed to document this initial eligibility screening for those veterans who were directly interviewed (ie, fully screened). However, documentation was not retained for the many individuals whose medical records were screened for eligibility or from those who did not complete the brief screening interview (eg, quickly declined research participation when reached by phone). For veterans deemed eligible to participate, the coordinator sought to enroll the individual. When eligible individuals chose not to enroll, the coordinator indicated the reasons given for declining participation. The coordinator captured both the determination of eligibility and reasons for declining enrollment using a standardized data entry case report form, and multiple reasons could be cited for a single individual (eAppendix 1 in 