What's the Big Deal? Bringing Colorectal Cancer Screening Messages Closer to Home

What's the Big Deal?, an engaging 25-minute telenovella style movie was developed with and for Alaska Native people to disseminate colorectal cancer (CRC) screening information and model ways to more comfortably talk about CRC screening.

Alaska Native people have nearly twice the colorectal cancer mortality rate and incidence rate as US Whites. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for Alaska Native people, yet it can be detected through colonoscopy screening and even prevented by finding and removing colon polyps before they become cancer.

To empower people to move beyond their common barriers to receiving recommended colorectal exams, seven 3-5 minute telenovellas were developed. Each movie section serves to increase colorectal cancer screening awareness, to support every day conversations about colorectal screening, and encourage wellness choices that include colonoscopy screening. Common barriers addressed within the telenovellas include lack of awareness and accurate information, as well as anxiety about the prep, embarrassment about the procedure, fear of pain, and fear of screening results.

Role modeled within the movie are family and friends discussing screening while engaged in common activities such as eating together, celebrating a birthday, shooting hoops, and playing cards. The telenovellas incorporate Alaska Native peoples' cultural values of the importance of family, community, storytelling, and humor to share colorectal cancer screening information.