Engaging Patients in Colon Cancer Screening Decisions During COVID-19
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
The goal of the study is to examine whether a shared decision making intervention improves decision making about colon cancer screening for patients who had their colonoscopy delayed or postponed due to the COVID pandemic. Eligible patients (n=800) will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control arm. A subset will be surveyed about 6 weeks post intervention to measure shared decision making, their intention to follow through with screening, and their decisional conflict. Study staff will conduct medical chart review to track receipt of colon cancer screening within 6 months. The statistician will test whether patients in the intervention arm report more shared decision making, less decisional conflict, higher intention to follow through on screening and have higher screening rates compared to those in the control arm.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
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N/A |
Detailed Description
The goal of the study is to examine whether a shared decision making intervention improves decision making about colon cancer screening for patients who had their colonoscopy delayed or postponed due to the COVID pandemic. Eligible patient (n=800) will randomly assigned to either the intervention or control arm. A subset will be surveyed about 6 weeks post intervention to determine the extent to which they report shared decision making, their intention to follow through with screening, and their decisional conflict. Study staff will also conduct medical chart review to track receipt of colon cancer screening within 6 months.
Intervention arm: In this arm, patients will get a shared decision making information sheet in the mail that describes three screening options: (1) schedule next available colonoscopy, (2) switch to a stool-based test, and (3) delay colonoscopy for a year. Study staff trained in decision coaching will follow up with patients to help them select an option and support implementation.
Control arm: This arm will be a usual care arm. The gastroenterology department department has schedulers calling patients and texting patients to schedule their procedure.
All 800 patients will be followed for their cancer screening outcomes, and a subset n=460 or 230 in each arm will be randomly selected to receive the survey.
Study staff who prepare the intervention mailing and the surveys will not be blinded to the study arm. The staff who enter the data from the paper surveys and who conduct chart review to collect screening will be blinded to the assignment. The statistician analyzing the results will also be blinded to the assignment.
The following hypotheses will be evaluated using an intention to treat approach, so patients will be analyzed based on their assigned arm.
Hypothesis 1: Compared to the control group, patients in intervention arm will report higher shared decision making (primary outcome).
Hypothesis 2: Compared to the control group, patients in the intervention arm will have (2a) stronger intention to follow through with colon cancer screening (whether colonoscopy, stool-based test or other approach) and (2b) will be more likely to have a screening test within 6 months.
Hypothesis 3: Compared to the control group, patients in the intervention arm will have less decisional conflict (SURE score).
Study Design
Arms and Interventions
| Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
|---|---|
| No Intervention: Usual Care Arm This arm will be a usual care arm. Patients may call to schedule a colonoscopy or other tests as desired. |
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| Experimental: Shared Decision Making Arm This is the intervention arm. Patients will receive a shared decision making information sheet in the mail and will be able to receive decision coaching from study staff to support selection of an option if desired. |
Behavioral: Shared Decision Making
The decision aid is a paper information sheet presenting the pros and cons of three screening options (colonoscopy, stool-based tests, and postponing cancer screening until next year).
The decision coaching is a structured interview to help patients clarify their preference for screening test and to support them in implementation (whether scheduling colonoscopy, ordering stool test or seeking additional advice from specialist).
Other Names:
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Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Shared Decision Making (SDM) Process Scale Score [6 weeks after intervention]
short patient reported scale asks patients about discussion of options, pros and cons of colonoscopy and discussion of patients' preferences. Total scores range from 0-4 with higher scores indicating higher shared decision making.
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Decisional Conflict (SURE scale) [6 weeks after intervention]
the 4-item version of the decisional conflict scale, total score ranges from 0-4 with greater scores indicating less decisional conflict.
- Patient's preferred approach to screening [6 weeks after intervention]
One item will assess patients' preferred approach to screening (with responses of colonoscopy, stool card test, no screening, not sure).
- Intention to screen [6 weeks after intervention]
One item will assess patients' intention to follow through with their preferred approach on a 5-point scale from not at all likely to extremely likely.
- Colon cancer screening rate [6 months after randomization]
Percentage of patients who had completed colon cancer screening test
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Adults, age 45-75
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Had screening or surveillance colonoscopy delayed or cancelled from March-June 2020
Exclusion Criteria:
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Diagnostic colonoscopy
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High risk for colorectal cancer as indicated by 1 year follow up schedule
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Prior history of colon cancer
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Unable to read or write in English or Spanish
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Have already scheduled or completed a colonoscopy since restrictions were lifted
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts General Hospital | Boston | Massachusetts | United States | 02114 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Karen Sepucha, PhD, Massachusetts General Hospital
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Publications
None provided.- 2020P001579-2