The long-range goal of this project is to increase accessibility and participation in clinical trials among African American and Caucasian women with breast cancer. Clinical trials often present state of the art medical practice (Roberson, 1994), yet accrual to clinical trials is often low (Friedman & Dorr, 1990; Johansen et al, 1991; Bennett, 1993). Although there are many reasons given for low clinical trial accrual generally, there is very little empirical evidence which documents factors affecting accessibility and participation in clinical trials for women with breast cancer. There is even less knowledge about barriers and motivating factors for minority women with breast cancer. Accordingly, it is the intent of the proposed project to acquire empirically based knowledge of patient factors which affect the accessibility and participation of women with breast cancer in clinical trials. Using survey research methodology, the project will collect data from 200 women who are new breast cancer patients in the medical oncology clinic at Harper Hospital in Detroit. Applying a modified version of Anderson's (1975, 1995) health behavior model, the project will collect data from African American and Caucasian women with breast cancer on predisposing, enabling, need, and helpseeking factors which may influence clinical trial participation. After data are analyzed, findings will be reviewed by consumer groups in an effort to devise more effective strategies to increase breast cancer clinical trial accessibility and participation. It is projected that the project will take 2 years to complete.
The specific aims are: 1) to determine patient factors which predispose (demographic, social structural, health beliefs) and enable (economic, family and community resources) women with breast cancer to participate in clinical trials; 2) to determine illness """"""""need"""""""" factors which affect their participation in clinical trials; 3) to determine helpseeking patterns which affect their participation in clinical trials; 4) to assess differences by race (African American and Caucasian women) in factors affecting clinical trial accessibility and participation; and 5) to devise strategies to expand the accessibility and participation of African American and Caucasian women with breast cancer in clinical trials.
| Brown, D R; Fouad, M N; Basen-Engquist, K et al. (2000) Recruitment and retention of minority women in cancer screening, prevention, and treatment trials. Ann Epidemiol 10:S13-21 |
