Preventing Early-Onset Colorectal Cancer in the VA

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death among Veterans. The starting age for colorectal cancer screening has been lowered from 50 to 45 years in response to the rising incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer (EOCRC), but how to best engage younger Veterans in screening is unclear. The investigators will 1) develop and validate a novel risk score for EOCRC derived from the VA electronic health record data, 2) conduct a multilevel screening intervention that targets individuals aged 45-49 years and informs high-risk individuals and their providers about their risk status for EOCRC, and 3) determine barriers and facilitators to implementing the intervention using a qualitative process evaluation. Aim 2 is the focus of the trial. The overall goal of this study is to create and test a risk stratification approach to prevent EOCRC, which may be especially useful for younger individuals who are less likely to participate in preventive care.