Application of best practice approaches for designing decision support tools: the preparatory education about clinical trials (PRE-ACT) study.

Objective: This article describes the rigorous development process and initial feedback of the PRE-ACT (Preparatory Education About Clinical Trials) web-based- intervention designed to improve preparation for decision making in cancer clinical trials.

Methods: The multi-step process included stakeholder input, formative research, user testing and feedback. Diverse teams (researchers, advocates and developers) participated including content refinement, identification of actors, and development of video scripts.

A Web-based communication aid for patients with cancer: the CONNECT Study.

Background: Cancer patients and their oncologists often report differing perceptions of consultation discussions and discordant expectations regarding treatment outcomes. CONNECT, a computer-based communication aid, was developed to improve communication between patients and oncologists.

Methods: CONNECT includes assessment of patient values, goals, and communication preferences; patient communication skills training; and a preconsultation physician summary report.

Drug therapies for Parkinson's disease: A database analysis of patient compliance and persistence.

Background: Evaluating medication adherence in Parkinson's disease (PD) is important to avoid erroneously attributing suboptimal patient outcomes from poor compliance to disease progression or adverse responses to medications.

Objective: This study of patients with PD who were new to PD drug therapy examined patient compliance and persistence, by drug, to provide a comprehensive investigation of medication-taking behavior in PD.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients receiving a new PD drug between March 1 and May 31, 2007, was conducted, using the IMS Health longitudinal prescription database, which contains ∼50% of all retail prescriptions and <150 million patients in the United States.

Barriers to participation in cancer prevention clinical trials.

Background: Cancer prevention clinical trials seek to enroll individuals at increased risk for cancer. Little is known about attitudes among physicians and at-risk individuals towards cancer prevention clinical trials. We sought to characterize barriers to prevention trial participation among medical oncologists and first-degree relatives of their patients.

Using health communication best practices to develop a web-based provider-patient communication aid: the CONNECT study.

Objective: Although there is broad consensus that careful content vetting and user testing is important in the development of technology-based educational interventions, often these steps are overlooked. This paper highlights the development of a theory-guided, web-based communication aid (CONNECT), designed to facilitate treatment decision-making among patients with advanced cancer.

Methods: The communication aid included an on-line survey, patient skills training module and an automated physician report.

An Internet method to assess cancer patient information needs and enhance doctor-patient communication: a pilot study.

Background: We previously reported that doctor-patient communication in the cancer context may be suboptimal. We therefore developed measures to assess patient communication preferences and established feasibility of an Internet-based intervention to improve communication.

Methods: Cancer patients completed an Internet-based survey about communication preferences, with a summary provided to the physician before the consultation.

Barriers to clinical trial participation as perceived by oncologists and patients.

Although clinical trial research is required for the development of improved treatment strategies, very few cancer patients participate in these studies. The purpose of this study was to describe psychosocial barriers to clinical trial participation among oncologists and their cancer patients. A survey was distributed to all medical oncologists in Pennsylvania and a subset of their patients.

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and supportive care in cancer: a synopsis of research perspectives and contributions by an interdisciplinary team.

Goals Of Work: The purpose of this short review is to provide a commonly accepted definition of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), to illustrate the widespread use of CAM by people affected by cancer around the world, and to highlight the research contributions of the Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CCAM) research team and its colleagues.

Methods: Based on research conducted by CCAM and several European colleagues, a collection of articles was compiled, reviewed, and edited.

Main Results: CAM modalities play a role in supportive care and cancer.