Use of Marketing Tools to Increase the Use of Colorectal Cancer Screening in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania

Abstract

Colorectal cancer, the second most common cause of cancer death in the United States, is preventable if detected at an early stage. A readily available screening test can prevent many cases of this cancer by identifying and removing pre-cancerous polyps. Unfortunately, the majority of eligible Americans are not screened.

The rate of colorectal cancer in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania is alarming, approximately 20% higher than the state average and nearly 40% higher than the national average. This study attempts to increase the screening rate and reduce the incidence of this disease through the use of marketing tools. These tools include: development of a target market, use of a marketing mix, SWOT analysis, and promotion and dissemination of the return on investment (ROI) with other employers in the County in order to enroll more businesses in this project.

This project involves five businesses in Luzerne County who agreed to aggressively market colorectal cancer screening program to their employees over age fifty. A marketing plan has been developed to increase awareness of the need for the screening beginning at age fifty and the dangers of ignoring this very preventable cancer. The availability of the test and information about the test will be available to all employees on the company web site for a two week time period before the screening program is conducted. The promotion on the web site will include a short voice narrated power point presentation developed by the researchers.