title: Barriers to Cancer Clinical Trial Participation Among Saudi Nationals: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: This study aims to determine the factors that act as barriers to Saudi cancer patients in participating in a clinical trial (CT). A total of 244 patients from two different tertiary level hospitals (King Khalid University Hospital and King Fahad Medical City Hospital) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, participated in this cross-sectional study. The participants were interviewed by a trained researcher between September and November 2015. All respondents answered a three-part questionnaire which includes demographics, clinical information, and questions related to awareness of CTs, willingness to participate, and factors affecting participation in CTs. The mean age of the participants was 50.83, and 57 % of the participants were females. Most of the participants (63.5 %) were currently being treated for cancer, and 28 % were diagnosed with breast cancer followed by colorectal cancer. Health status or quality of life was self-reported as acceptable by 27.9 % of the participants, and 25 % of the participants at stage II of cancer. The factors that act as barriers to Saudi cancer patients in participating in a CT can be categorized into patient- and physician-related factors. Patient factors include lack of awareness, misconception and fear in participating in CTs; physician-related factors comprise of lack of encouragement from physician to patients in participating in a CT. The study identified few major barriers to participation in CTs. Increased patient awareness and recruitment strategies are required to increase accrual of patients including training for physicians and disseminating easy-to-read tools to the public.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Science, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Kalmutairim@ksu.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Khalid M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Almutairi
authors.affiliation: College of Business Administration, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Wadi B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Alonazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulaziz A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alodhayani
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Science, College of Applied Medical Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Jason M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Vinluan
authors.affiliation: Medical Surgical Department, College of Nursing, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mahaman
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moussa
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Abdulrahman S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Al-Ajlan
authors.affiliation: College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khalid
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Alsaleh
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratories Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Duna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alruwaimi
authors.affiliation: College of Business Administration, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Nader E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Alotaibi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology*; D035842:Research Subjects / Q000523:psychology*; D012529:Saudi Arabia
keywords: Barriers; Cancer clinical trials; Patient accrual; Saudi Arabia