Factors affecting older african american women's decisions to join the PLCO Cancer Screening Trial.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to describe the factors associated with the decisions of older African American women to join the PLCO (Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian) Cancer Screening Trial when recruited.


METHODS
African American women between ages 55 and 74 years who were never diagnosed with a PLCO cancer were eligible for our study. Two methods of recruitment were used. First, mailings were sent to a random sample of women describing the PLCO followed by a telephone call to determine interest in the PLCO. If women were not interested in PLCO but consented to participate in our study, they were interviewed immediately. Second, we followed up with African American women who responded to mass mailings sent out before the start of our study by the Pittsburgh PLCO office. Women completed an interview about their cancer and clinical trial knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors. The responses of women who joined the PLCO Trial are contrasted with the responses of women who did not join.


RESULTS
Numerous factors were associated with the decision of older African American women to join the PLCO, including perceptions of cancer prevention and detection, the experience of having a loved one with cancer, knowledge of and experience with clinical trials, and beliefs regarding the benefits and risks of clinical trial participation.


CONCLUSIONS
Minority recruitment to cancer clinical trials could be increased by designing interventions focused on individual, organizational, and community needs.
Trauth
Jeanette M
JM
Graduate School of Public Health, 217 Parran Hall, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA. trauth@pitt.edu
Jernigan
Jan C
JC
Siminoff
Laura A
LA
Musa
Donald
D
Neal-Ferguson
Derietra
D
Weissfeld
Joel
J
D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015337:Multicenter Studies as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D012107:Research Design