title: "The promise of community-based advocacy and education efforts for increasing cancer clinical trials accrual".
abstract: Only 3% of cancer patients participate in cancer clinical trials (CCTs). A number of barriers to participation, particularly for minority groups, can be addressed through community-focused education and advocacy efforts. Working with community partnerships, a pilot program sought to change knowledge, attitudes, and role behaviors among community leaders, primary care providers (PCPs), and clinical researchers about CCTs, to increase patient awareness of and participation in CCTs. A mixed method evaluation utilized quantitative analysis of surveys administered to participants during the program period (2006-2008) and qualitative data from interviews with key participants. Programmatic efforts were effective in increasing knowledge and training community leaders and PCPs to disseminate messages about clinical trials, and ultimately increasing patient inquiries about local trials. Training improved cultural competency skills among clinical researchers to recruit and retain CCT participants. Partnerships fostered new processes and structures to facilitate CCT participation in their communities. Clinical trials education and advocacy efforts through community partnerships have an important role in enhancing clinical trial access and in increasing clinical trial participation. Oncologists' involvement in and leadership of such partnerships are critical to promoting CCT accrual, particularly for minority groups.
authors.affiliation: Education Network to Advance Cancer Clinical Trials, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA. info@enacct.org
authors.forename: Margo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michaels
authors.forename: Elisa S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Guidry
authors.forename: Natasha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blakeney
authors.forename: Liz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Swords
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gibbs
authors.forename: Samantha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yeun
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rytkonen
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Goodman
authors.forename: S Lisbeth
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Jarama
authors.forename: Amanda L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Greene
authors.forename: Shilpa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Patel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D003254:Consumer Advocacy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D010358:Patient Participation; D018579:Patient Selection; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000193:education*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012107:Research Design