The Center for Evaluation and Research evaluated a unique community partnership which aimed to increase knowledge of colorectal cancer screening to a specific population. As part of its evaluation contract with the Iowa Cancer Consortium, the Center conducted an evaluation of the Iowa Get Screened (IGS) Colorectal Cancer program coaster campaign. The Iowa Department of Public Health developed and disseminated coasters to 26 bars throughout the state which featured colorectal cancer screening facts, trivia, and screening contact information. Over the course of two months, the campaign distributed 30,000 coasters throughout the state.
In 2013, Kellee McCrory, MPH, MSW presented the results of the campaign partnership at the American Public Health Association (APHA) annual conference. Her presentation highlighted this successful case study on how unlikely partners teamed up to creatively educate Iowans about colorectal cancer. It provided public health professions with the tools and objectives to develop community projects which bring together state and county agencies; demonstrated a creative way to promote colorectal cancer education to a target community; and identified achievable and measurable outcomes to create a sustainable screening project.