title: Cultural Competency Training to Increase Minority Enrollment into Radiation Therapy Clinical Trials-an NRG Oncology RTOG Study.
abstract: Despite initiatives to increase the enrollment of racial and ethnic minorities into cancer clinical trials in the National Cancer Institute National Cancer Clinical Trials Network (NCCTN), participation by Latino and African American populations remain low. The primary aims of this pilot study are (1) to develop a Cultural Competency and Recruitment Training Program (CCRTP) for physician investigators and clinical research associates (CRAs), (2) to determine if the CCRTP increases cultural competency scores among physician investigators and CRAs, and (3) to determine the impact of the CCRTP on minority patient recruitment into NRG Oncology Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) clinical trials. Sixty-seven CRAs and physicians participated in an in-person or online 4-h CRRTP training. Five knowledge and attitude items showed significant improvements from pre- to post-training. A comparison between enrolling sites that did and did not participate in the CCRTP demonstrated a pre to 1-year post-incremental increase in minority accrual to clinical trials of 1.2 % among participating sites. While not statistically significant, this increase translated into an additional 300 minority patients accrued to NCCTN clinical trials in the year following the training from those sites who participated in the training.
authors.affiliation: Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road, Room 230, Atlanta, GA, 30322-4201, USA. jholme3@emory.edu.
authors.forename: Jessica S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Wells
authors.affiliation: NRG Oncology Statistics and Data Management Center, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pugh
authors.affiliation: NRG Oncology, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Karan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boparai
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rearden
authors.affiliation: Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road, Room 230, Atlanta, GA, 30322-4201, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Yeager
authors.affiliation: Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Emory University, 1520 Clifton Road, Room 230, Atlanta, GA, 30322-4201, USA.
authors.forename: Deborah W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Bruner
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D054521:Cultural Competency / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D054547:National Cancer Institute (U.S.); D018579:Patient Selection; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011878:Radiotherapy; D014481:United States
keywords: Clinical trials; Cultural competency; Minority enrollment; Radiation therapy