Increasing the accessibility to colorectal cancer screening in the community via faecal immunochemical test kits dispensed via automated kiosk

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening uptake was low in Singapore. An automated kiosk (KIPFIT) dispensing Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) kits was developed to facilitate CRC screening. A prospective observational study leveraged on case-encounter approach to recruit community-dwelling adults aged 50-85 years. They were guided to collect two FIT kits from the kiosk on passing by a local multi-purpose mall. The study aimed to determine their CRC screening uptake by returning minimally one completed kit within two months after its collection. Data on their demographics, awareness, and prior screening history, and kiosk usability (as measured by the System Usability Scale SUS) were analysed using bivariate tests, followed by logistic regression for CRC screening completion and linear regression for SUS scores. Among the 350 participants (mean age 66.1 years; 57.4% female; 91.4% Chinese), 68.9% completed CRC screening, which was associated with Chinese ethnicity (AOR = 3.13, 95%CI = 1.42-6.90) and awareness of screening (AOR = 2.18, 95%CI = 1.10-4.33). Benchmarked at 68, the mean SUS score was 57.7, with lower scores in older and lower-educated participants. Guided use of the KIPFIT kiosk had increased CRC screening uptake. Further research is needed to assess its utility without assistance and its effects on CRC screening in real-world setting.