Case Study: American Cancer Society achieves modernized, more frequent participant data collection with QuestionPro Communities

The nationwide voluntary health organization launches an online participant portal to modernize survey data collection

The American Cancer Society (ACS), a nationwide voluntary health organization, needed to modernize data collection for its Cancer Prevention Study‑3 (CPS‑3) cohort of over 304,000 participants. ACS was constrained by lengthy 12–20 page surveys sent every three years (taking up to 45 minutes), which limited participation frequency, timeliness, and consistency of data needed to accelerate research and improve participant experience.

ACS implemented QuestionPro Communities’ online participant portal as a pilot, replacing infrequent long surveys with short, periodic touchpoints and interactive activities (5–15 minutes) — from registration feedback and monthly medical updates to functional tests and biospecimen invitations — while capturing diagnoses and contact updates in real time. The portal reduced respondent burden, increased engagement and data frequency, and enabled faster, more actionable insights for researchers; ACS intends to move most participants online over the coming years while maintaining mixed-mode options for large triannual surveys.

American Cancer Society

Melissa Rittase

Scientist, Department of Population Science