An educational program for patients with blood cancer and their caregivers improved communication with doctors about clinical trials, according to a study published in the Journal of Cancer Education.
The educational intervention involved videos consisting of 3 modules, which were focused on communication with one’s doctor, understanding clinical trials, and speaking with one’s doctor about clinical trials.
The PACES framework was emphasized in some components of the training videos, which includes the following steps: Present information, Ask questions, Check understanding, Express concerns, and State preferences. A link to a reference guide on clinical trial conversations was also provided.
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Study participants included patients with blood cancers and their caregivers, family members, and friends. Participants completed a survey prior to watching the videos and a survey after. The surveys included questions about patients’ clinical characteristics, their perspectives on communication with doctors, and other questions. The Patient Report of Communication Behavior (PRCB) was used for monitoring changes in behavior based on the intervention.
There were 192 participants who completed the intervention and both surveys, including 160 patients and 32 caregivers, family members, or friends.
After the intervention, participants showed an increase in clinical trials knowledge (P <.001). On average, 91% of knowledge-based questions had correct responses on the post-video survey, compared with 81% on the pre-video survey.
Confidence, importance, and likelihood to communicate about clinical trials also increased on the post-survey (P <.0001). Similarly, the mean score on the PRCB was higher on the post-survey than on the pre-survey (P <.001). The increase in the mean PRCB score was greater among participants who had never had a conversation with a doctor about clinical trials, particularly among those who were at least 65 years of age.
Based on these results, the researchers considered this intervention to be effective across multiple metrics.
“This type of training can further equip patients and caregivers with the skills to advocate for themselves effectively, to increase the chance of discussion of clinical trials among all eligible and interested patients,” the researchers wrote.
Disclosures: This research was supported by Gilead and Kite Oncology.
Reference
Vasquez TS, Eggly S, Sae-Hau M, et al. Preparing patients to communicate with their doctors about clinical trials as a treatment option: impact of a novel video intervention for patients with a blood cancer and their caregivers. J Cancer Educ. Published online April 25, 2023. doi:10.1007/s13187-023-02300-0
This article originally appeared on Hematology Advisor
