Baseline characteristics of study participants in the first screening round
| SMS, n= 212 (%) | Telephone, n= 207 (%) | Control, n= 210 (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| FIT positivity ratea | 9/188 (4.8) | 11/193 (5.7) | 8/178 (4.5) |
| Age at baseline, mean (SD) | 57.2 (7.0) | 57.5 (6.9) | 57.8 (7.1) |
| Male | 132 (62.3) | 127 (61.4) | 140 (66.7) |
| Educational level | |||
| Primary or below | 47 (22.2) | 35 (16.9) | 43 (20.5) |
| Secondary | 131 (61.8) | 134 (64.7) | 138 (65.7) |
| Tertiary or above | 34 (16.0) | 38 (18.4) | 29 (13.8) |
| Monthly household income | |||
| ≤HK$10 000, or not reported | 70 (33.0) | 64 (30.9) | 77 (36.7) |
| HK$10 001–HK$20 000 | 83 (39.2) | 77 (37.2) | 78 (37.1) |
| >HK$20 000 | 59 (27.8) | 66 (31.9) | 55 (26.2) |
| Work status | |||
| Unemployed/retired/housewife | 103 (48.6) | 97 (46.9) | 105 (50.0) |
| Part-time | 29 (13.7) | 22 (10.6) | 23 (11.0) |
| Full-time | 80 (37.7) | 88 (42.5) | 82 (39.0) |
| Marital status | |||
| Married | 169 (79.7) | 159 (76.8) | 164 (78.1) |
| Other | 43 (20.3) | 48 (23.2) | 46 (21.9) |
| Weight, kg, mean (SD) | 64.3 (10.8) | 65.3 (11.5) | 65.3 (11.2) |
| Height, cm, mean (SD) | 164.4 (8.3) | 164.4 (8.0) | 164.9 (8.0) |
| BMI, mean (SD) | 23.8 (3.4) | 24.1 (3.2) | 23.9 (3.1) |
| Waist circumference, cm, mean (SD) | 82.4 (9.7) | 82.9 (10.3) | 82.8 (9.7) |
| Family history of CRC in a FDR | 124 (58.5) | 118 (57.0) | 121 (57.6) |
| Asia Pacific Colorectal Screening (APCS) score | |||
| Average/moderate risk | 28 (13.2) | 20 (9.7) | 20 (9.5) |
| High risk | 184 (86.8) | 187 (90.3) | 190 (90.5) |
| Smoking status | |||
| Current | 39 (18.4) | 37 (17.9) | 37 (17.6) |
| Never | 108 (50.9) | 99 (47.8) | 98 (46.7) |
| Past | 65 (30.7) | 71 (34.3) | 75 (35.7) |
| Alcohol drinker | 42 (19.8) | 45 (21.7) | 51 (24.3) |
| Comorbidities | |||
| Diabetes | 19 (9.0) | 25 (12.1) | 21 (10.0) |
| Fatty liver | 17 (8.0) | 8 (3.9) | 13 (6.2) |
| Obesity (BMI ≥25) | 74 (34.9) | 74 (35.7) | 80 (38.1) |
| Hypertension | 57 (26.9) | 59 (28.5) | 45 (21.4) |
| Heart disease | 1 (0.5) | 1 (0.5) | 1 (0.5) |
| Chronic lung disease | 2 (0.9) | 3 (1.4) | 0 (0) |
| Stroke | 0 (0) | 1 (0.5) | 3 (1.4) |
| Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease | 16 (7.5) | 19 (9.2) | 23 (11.0) |
| Other | 35 (16.5) | 41 (19.8) | 49 (23.3) |
| Use of medications | |||
| NSAIDs | 14 (6.6) | 11 (5.3) | 11 (5.2) |
| Calcium supplements | 25 (11.8) | 30 (14.5) | 30 (9.5) |
| Folate supplements | 8 (3.8) | 6 (2.9) | 3 (1.4) |
| Statins | 32 (15.1) | 35 (16.9) | 29 (13.8) |
| Gastroprotective agents | 11 (5.2) | 13 (6.3) | 12 (5.7) |
| Steroids or immunosuppressants | 2 (0.9) | 2 (1.0) | 2 (1.0) |
↵a FIT positivity rate was calculated among those who returned completed FIT samples. BMI = body mass index. CRC = colorectal cancer. FDR = first-degree relative. FIT = faecal immunochemical test. NSAIDs = non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. SD = standard deviation. SMS = short message service.