Jenkins, Valerie and Fallowfield, Lesley (2015) For the benefit of others: reasons why women with breast cancer participate in RCTs. Breast Care, 10 (2). ISSN 1661-3805

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Abstract

Introduction: Appreciation of the barriers and drivers affecting enrolment in randomised clinical trials (RCTs) is important for future trial design, communication and information provision.

Method: As part of an intervention to facilitate UK multidisciplinary team communication about RCTs, women with breast cancer who discussed trials with doctors and/or research nurses completed questionnaires examining: - clarity of trial information and reasons for either accepting or declining trial entry.
Results: 152 women with breast cancer completed the questionnaires; 113/152 (74%) consented to RCT enrolment. Patients’ satisfaction with communication about the trial information was very good, irrespective of participation decisions. Acceptors’ and decliners’ responses to 9/16 statements concerning decisions about trial participation differed significantly. ‘Wanting to help with doctor’s research’ influenced 100% acceptors compared to 57% of decliners (p<.001). Decliners were more likely to be ‘worried about randomisation’ (20% v 39%; p<.035) and to ‘want doctor to choose treatment rather than be randomised’ (31% v 53%; p<.031). Primary reason for trial acceptance was altruism; “I feel that others with my illness will benefit from the results of the trial”, 58/108 (54%).
Conclusion: A majority of women accepted RCT entry citing altruistic motivations as the primary driver for participation. Trial design and setting (metastatic or adjuvant) had little impact on participation.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Breast cancer, randomised clinical trials, and patient's reasons
Schools and Departments:	Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Sussex Health Outcomes Research & Education in Cancer (SHORE-C)
Subjects:	R Medicine R Medicine > RC Internal medicine > RC0254 Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology Including cancer and carcinogens
Depositing User:	Kathryn Monson
Date Deposited:	19 Mar 2015 11:06
Last Modified:	15 Mar 2017 03:20
URI:	http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/53422

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