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Tailored Messages About Research Participation: Using an Interactive Information Aid to Improve Study Recruitment

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Abstract

After a diagnosis of cancer (or other serious disease), patients may be asked to consider joining a clinical trial. Because most people are unfamiliar with the scientific concepts that are necessary to the provision of meaningful informed consent, patient education is necessary. Increasing knowledge alone is not sufficient; understanding how clinical trial participation aligns with personal circumstances and knowledge is central to the decision-making process. In this study, 302 cancer patients and survivors evaluated an interactive information aid (IA) designed to inform their decision to join a research study or clinical trial by providing tailored information to patients’ responses to questions pertaining to seven key barriers or facilitators of clinical trial participation. The development of the IA was done with input from the authors’ Clinical Translational Science Institute; linked components of the IA were vetted by members and leaders of the institution’s NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center. Results of the study indicated that the information aid was successful in significantly reducing fears and increasing knowledge, attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and behavioral intentions about research participation relative to a control condition. Thus, an interactive information aid that provides information that is responsive to patients’ values, knowledge, and personal circumstances can help patients to be better prepared to consider a decision about research participation.

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Funding

This research was supported by Grant Number UL1TR000460, Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute, from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, 33146, USA

    Susan E. Morgan, Wei Peng & Bingjing Mao

  2. Department of Communication Studies, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

    Aurora Occa

  3. Department of Communication Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA

    Soroya McFarlane

  4. Department of Interactive Media, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL, USA

    Gilles Grinfeder & Barbara Millet

  5. Department of Health Outcomes and Behavior, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL, USA

    Margaret M. Byrne

Authors
  1. Susan E. Morgan
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  2. Wei Peng
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  3. Aurora Occa
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  4. Bingjing Mao
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  5. Soroya McFarlane
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  6. Gilles Grinfeder
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  7. Barbara Millet
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  8. Margaret M. Byrne
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Correspondence to Susan E. Morgan.

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Appendix

Appendix

Screenshots from clinical trial participation information aid

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Morgan, S.E., Peng, W., Occa, A. et al. Tailored Messages About Research Participation: Using an Interactive Information Aid to Improve Study Recruitment. J Canc Educ 37, 16–22 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01775-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13187-020-01775-5

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