title: Patient preference: a comparison of electronic patient-completed questionnaires with paper among cancer patients.
abstract: In this study, we compared cancer patients preference for computerised (tablet/web-based) surveys versus paper. We also assessed whether the understanding of a cancer-related topic, pharmacogenomics is affected by the survey format, and examined differences in demographic and medical characteristics which may affect patient preference and understanding. Three hundred and four cancer patients completed a tablet-administered survey and another 153 patients completed a paper-based survey. Patients who participated in the tablet survey were questioned regarding their preference for survey format administration (paper, tablet and web-based). Understanding was assessed with a 'direct' method, by asking patients to assess their understanding of genetic testing, and with a 'composite' score. Patients preferred administration with tablet (71%) compared with web-based (12%) and paper (17%). Patients <65 years old, non-Caucasians and white-collar professionals significantly preferred the computerised format following multivariate analysis. There was no significant difference in understanding between the paper and tablet survey with direct questioning or composite score. Age (<65 years) and white-collar professionals were associated with increased understanding (both P = 0.03). There was no significant difference in understanding between the tablet and print survey in a multivariate analysis. Patients overwhelmingly preferred computerised surveys and understanding of pharmacogenomics was not affected by survey format.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Espin-Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cuffe
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pringle
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mahler
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Villeneuve
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Charow
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Shani
authors.affiliation: Cancer Outcomes Medicine Biostatistics Informatics Epidemiology Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hon
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Communications Graduate Program, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otsuka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Alibhai
authors.affiliation: Biomedical Communications Graduate Program, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jenkinson
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D032882:Comprehension; D003201:Computers; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009369:Neoplasms; D010209:Paper; D057240:Patient Preference; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: patient; preference; tablet; technologies; understanding; web