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Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign

Screen for Life: National Colorectal Cancer Action Campaign is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) campaign to increase colorectal cancer screening among men and women ages 50 or older. The campaign provides free print materials (fact sheets, brochures, postcards, etc.), TV and radio PSAs, social media posts and images, and other materials in English and Spanish to inform men and women about the importance of colorectal cancer screening. Campaign development is based on an extensive review of communication and behavioral science literature as well as focus group studies held throughout the U.S.

Evaluation: Since 1999, CDC has conducted more than 225 focus groups in 35 U.S. cities to assess knowledge, behaviors, and screening practices of the target audiences and test campaign messages and materials. Input also is sought from state health departments on the types of materials that would be most helpful to local efforts. The campaign estimates that as of June 2017, Screen for Life PSAs have generated more than 20 billion audience impressions (the number of times the PSAs have been seen or heard), worth more than $246 million in donated placements. Learn more in the Campaign Overview.

Permissions: Made publicly available online by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Visit the website to review the Usage Guidelines. Note that CDC allows state health departments and tribes/tribal organizations to add local information to printed materials and to the closing graphic of TV PSAs—e.g. “Brought to you by the Maryland Department of Public Health.” Screen for Life also provides CDC’s Colorectal Cancer Control Program grantees with specially adapted materials and other resources as needed.

Publication date: Launched in March, 1999; Regularly updated, most recently in 2017.

Post date: September 15, 2017

Contact: Submit comments, questions, and suggestions via web form.