Patient and Caregiver Opinions of Motivational Interviewing Techniques In Role-Played Palliative Care Conversations: A Pilot Study.

Context: Although many have examined the role of motivational interviewing (MI) in diverse health care encounters, no one has explored whether patients and caregivers facing serious illnesses identify specific MI techniques as helpful.

Objectives: The aim of this pilot study was to describe how patients and caregivers perceived MI techniques in palliative care role-play encounters.

Methods: About 21 patients and caregivers participated in a role-play encounter where we asked the participant to act out being ambivalent or reluctant regarding the goals of care decision.

Community-based preferences for stool cards versus colonoscopy in colorectal cancer screening.

Background: In the United States, compliance with colorectal cancer (CRC) screening recommendations remains suboptimal. Professional organizations advocate use of shared decision making in screening test discussions, but strategies to facilitate informed choice in CRC screening have not been well elucidated.

Objective: The objectives of the study were to determine screening test preference among colonoscopy-naïve adults after considering a detailed, written presentation of fecal occult blood testing (FOBT) and colonoscopy and to assess whether their preferences are associated with demographic characteristics, attitudes, and knowledge.

Developing treatment and control conditions in a clinical trial of massage therapy for advanced cancer.

The purpose of this article is to describe the challenges faced by a research team in developing treatment and control conditions in a study of the efficacy of massage therapy for advanced cancer. Five design considerations were addressed related to developing a massage therapy protocol: (1) dosage, that is, the number, spacing and length of treatments; (2) type of massage therapy; (3) degree to which the protocol for the treatment is standardized; (4) qualifications of the persons providing the treatment; and (5) conditions under which the treatment is provided. Five criteria for structuring the control condition of the study are elaborated: (1) equivalency of contact; (2) similarity of form; (3) minimum adverse or negative effects; (4) expectancy of therapeutic benefit; and (5) minimum therapeutic benefit.