[Towards informed choice: design and results of projects on (cancer) screening funded by the Federal Ministry of Health].

There has been a gradual paradigm shift in the area of screening and early detection of diseases. For many years, the sole focus of public health policies was increasing the uptake rates in screening programs. However, today there is an increasing awareness of the importance of informed decision making -- particularly in the area of screening. The provision of high-quality, evidence-based, and comprehensive information on benefit and harm is an important approach in achieving this objective. The current paper presents a project that was funded by the Federal Ministry of Health. It examines whether existing information material is appropriate to support informed decision making. In the first phase of the project, different screening procedures were assessed systematically and compared using several indicators. Based on the results of an expert workshop, the subsequent research activities focused on colorectal cancer (CRC) screening as one example. Phase II included the systematic search and assessment of print media, e.g., flyers and brochures, while phase III applied the same methods to websites on CRC screening. The information material was analyzed with a mix of methods, involving both experts and users. Finally, the results were presented and discussed with the authors/providers of the information material. Based on the results of this project, the Federal Center for Health Education developed a module on CRC screening for an Internet platform on women's health that is currently being evaluated. In sum, this research project contributes to the development of evidence-based and balanced information as well as informed decision making.