Conducting intervention research through the Cancer Information Service: a feasibility study.
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.
Heidrich
Susan
S
School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA. smheidrich@facstaff.wisc.edu
Ward
Sandra
S
Julesberg
Karen
K
Miller
Nina
N
Donovan
Heidi
H
Gunnarsdottir
Sigridur
S
Davis
Sarah
S
Hughes
Susan
S
Serlin
Ronald C
RC
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