title: Conducting intervention research through the Cancer Information Service: a feasibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the feasibility of conducting trials of educational interventions regarding pain and quality of life (QOL) with people who call the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service (CIS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive.
  
  
  METHODS
  North Central CIS, located at the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center in Madison.
  
  
  METHODS
  Callers to the North Central CIS who self-identified as people diagnosed with cancer or as family members or friends of people diagnosed with cancer were eligible. 102 people with cancer and 103 significant others answered questions concerning the feasibility of a pain study, and 101 significant others completed questions about the feasibility of a QOL study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible CIS callers were invited at the end of usual service to participate in a research study. Those who agreed were asked structured questions regarding pain or QOL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Response rate, length of time to complete recruitment, concerns about reporting pain and using analgesics, concerns about QOL, demographic variables, and willingness to join a hypothetical study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of callers had concerns about pain and QOL, and the vast majority (78%-89%) of participants indicated a willingness to join a future educational intervention study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using subjects recruited through CIS, conducting trials of brief telephone interventions designed to help patients overcome barriers to pain management or assist families in addressing QOL concerns may be feasible.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Researchers may wish to consider the opportunities afforded by collaborating with CIS colleagues in planning and conducting studies of educational interventions.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA. smheidrich@facstaff.wisc.edu
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heidrich
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Julesberg
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Heidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Donovan
authors.forename: Sigridur
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunnarsdottir
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.forename: Ronald C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Serlin
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods*; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012107:Research Design