title: Reports of persistent change in the clinical encounter following research participation: a report from the Primary Care Multiethnic Network (PRIME Net).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Following anecdotal reports of unexpected patient and/or clinician behavior change in the primary care encounter in a previous study, we conducted this study to learn more about the short- and long-term effects on clinician and/or patient behavior from participation in a practice-based research network (PBRN) study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinicians in two PBRN studies of Acanthosis nigricans were surveyed and interviewed 3 to 6 months following one study and surveyed 3 to 5 years following a second study. We gathered data on clinicians' reports of behavior change in the encounter, the persistence of those changes, and the likely causes of reported changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-six percent of clinicians in the short-term and 79% in the long-term samples reported more frequent diagnostic efforts, and 68% and 54%, respectively, reported more frequent preventive counseling after participation in the studies. Interview data suggested that several factors contributed to this reported behavior change: increased clinician knowledge, availability of a feasible tool to support counseling, change in patient receptivity/motivation, and creation of a new context for counseling.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reports of behavior change in the primary care encounter associated with a PBRN study suggest that PBRNs may be effective vehicles for education, translation, and practice change in addition to their value in research.
authors: Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, USA.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Rhyne
authors: Andrew L
authors: AL
authors: Sussman
authors: Doug
authors: D
authors: Fernald
authors: Nancy
authors: N
authors: Weller
authors: Elvan
authors: E
authors: Daniels
authors: Robert L
authors: RL
authors: Williams
mesh_terms: D000052:Acanthosis Nigricans; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D019058:Community Networks; D005194:Family Practice / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D014481:United States