title: Acceptability of a Touch Screen Tablet Psychosocial Survey Administered to Radiation Therapy Patients in Japan.
abstract: Studies in western clinical settings suggest that touch screen computer surveys are an acceptable mode of collecting information about cancer patients' wellbeing
  
  
  
  We examined the acceptability of a touch screen tablet survey among cancer patients in Japan.
  
  
  
  Eligible patients (n = 262) attending a university hospital radiation therapy (RT) department were invited to complete a touch screen tablet survey about psychosocial communication and care. Survey consent and completion rates, the proportion and characteristics of patients who completed the touch screen survey unassisted, and patient-reported acceptability were assessed.
  
  
  
  Of 158 consenting patients (consent rate 60 % [95 % CI 54, 66 %] of eligible patients), 152 completed the touch screen computer survey (completion rate 58 % [95 % CI 52, 64 %] of eligible patients). The survey was completed without assistance by 74 % (n = 113; 95 % CI 67, 81 %) of respondents. Older age was associated with higher odds of having assistance with survey completion (OR 1.09; 95 % CI 1.04, 1.14 %). Ninety-two percent of patients (95 % CI 86, 96 %) felt that the touch screen survey was easy to use and 95 % (95 % CI 90, 98 %) agreed or strongly agreed that they were comfortable answering the questions. Overall, 65 % (95 % CI 57, 73 %) of respondents would be willing to complete such a survey more than once while waiting for RT treatment.
  
  
  
  Although patient self-reported acceptability of the touch screen survey was high, self-administered touch screen tablet surveys may not be entirely appropriate for older cancer patients or possibly for patients with lower educational attainment.
authors.affiliation: Breast Surgery, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, W4, Hunter Medical Research Institute Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia. lisa.mackenzie@uon.edu.au.|Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, Australia. lisa.mackenzie@uon.edu.au.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mackenzie
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, W4, Hunter Medical Research Institute Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.|Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sanson-Fisher
authors.affiliation: Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, W4, Hunter Medical Research Institute Building, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, Australia.|Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carey
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Research School of Population Health, Australian National University, Newcastle, Australia.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Este
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiromi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Asada
authors.affiliation: Breast Surgery, Kyoto University Hospital, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D034201:Computers, Handheld; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology* / Q000532:radiotherapy; D057566:Self Report; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Age factors; Cancer; Handheld computers; Japan; Patient preference; Survey methods