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Decisional outcomes following use of an interactive web-based decision aid for prostate cancer screening

  • Original Research
  • Published:
Translational Behavioral Medicine

Abstract

Informed decision-making tools are recommended for men considering prostate cancer screening. We evaluated the extent to which use of an interactive, web-based decision aid was associated with decisional and screening outcomes. Participants (N = 253) were 57 (7.0) years old and completed telephone interviews at baseline, 1 month, and 13 months post-baseline. Tracking software captured minutes spent on the website (median = 33.9), sections viewed (median = 4.0/5.0), testimonials viewed (median = 4.0/6.0), and values clarification tool (VCT) use (77.3 %). In multivariable analyses, all four website use variables were positively associated with increased knowledge (p’s < 0.05). Complete VCT use and number of informational sections were positively associated with greater decisional satisfaction (p’s < 0.05). Decisional conflict and screening behavior were not associated with measures of website use. Increased use of informational content and interactive elements were related to improved knowledge and satisfaction. Methods to increase utilization of interactive website components may improve informed decision-making outcomes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the participants for their time spent participating in this study and thank Susan Marx for her administrative support. This was an investigator-initiated study funded by The National Cancer Institute (grant # R01 CA119168-01), Department of Defense (grant # PC051100). Additional support was provided by the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource and the LCCC Cancer Center Support Grant. The funders played no role in the design, conduct, or analysis of the study, nor in the interpretation and reporting of the study findings. The researchers were independent from the funders. All authors, external and internal, had full access to all of the data (including statistical reports and tables) in the study and can take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis.

Authors’ Statement of Conflict of Interest and Adherence to Ethical Standards

CT, KD, SL, AS, SK, GL, and KLT declare that they have no conflicts of interest. All procedures, including the informed consent process, were conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

Funding

The National Cancer Institute (Grant # R01 CA119168-01), Department of Defense (Grant # PC051100) to KLT. Additional support was provided by the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center (LCCC) Biostatistics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource and the LCCC Cancer Center Support Grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA

    Catherine Tomko BA, Kimberly Davis PhD, Samantha Ludin BA, Scott Kelly MS, Aaron Stern BA & Kathryn L. Taylor PhD

  2. Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Biostatistics, Bioinformatics, and Biomathematics, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA

    George Luta PhD

Authors
  1. Catherine Tomko BA
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  2. Kimberly Davis PhD
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  3. Samantha Ludin BA
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  4. Scott Kelly MS
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  5. Aaron Stern BA
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  6. George Luta PhD
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  7. Kathryn L. Taylor PhD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kathryn L. Taylor PhD.

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Implications

Practice: Clinicians should encourage the use of web-based decision aids to help patients become aware of the facts associated with medical tests and treatments and to aid informed decision making.

Policy: Web-based decision aids are a relatively inexpensive way to make a significant impact on decision-making outcomes among a large number of patients.

Research: Further research is needed to assess whether interactive components of websites play a key role in increasing patient engagement and in improving decision-making outcomes

Earlier versions of the results were presented at the 36th annual meeting of the American Society of Preventive Oncology, Washington, DC, March 2012.

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Tomko, C., Davis, K., Ludin, S. et al. Decisional outcomes following use of an interactive web-based decision aid for prostate cancer screening. Behav. Med. Pract. Policy Res. 5, 189–197 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-014-0301-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13142-014-0301-0

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