Knowledge and attitudes regarding medical research studies among patients with breast cancer/gynecological diseases Ovarian Cancer and Us OVARIAN CANCER and US Ovarian Cancer and Us

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Knowledge and attitudes regarding medical research studies among patients with breast cancer/gynecological diseases



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The present study investigated the general level of knowledge on the topic of “clinical studies” in a group of patients being treated at a university gynecology department. In addition, the way in which they perceived the design and conduct of studies and their attitudes to them were also noted.

eg.: selected key items
 Table 1. Characteristics of the patients


Table 2. Summary of statements to assess patients’ level of knowledge about the design and conduct of studies (questions on the rating scale are marked in bold type)
thumbnailFig. 1. Analysis of patients’ knowledge about clinical studies (relative frequencies of numbers of correct answers)

Patients who presented in the department due to pregnancy or birth had an average of 2.3 answers right; patients with gynecological diseases had 1.79; patients with breast cancer had 1.97; patients attending for fertility treatment had 2.11; patients with endometriosis had 1.9; and patients with benign gynecological diseases had 2.04 (P < 0.001) (Fig. 2).

 The amount of information desired by patients is also important in the context of autonomy when participating in a study. The majority of patients in the present group (95.9 %) wanted to receive all of the available information during the consultation process. A similar picture has also been described in other studies [5], [15]. Patients who do not believe that they have fully understood the implications of a study may ultimately feel regret about their decision to participate [19].

 Altruistic motivations generally play an important role in study participation, as has often been shown in other studies [20], [21].

 Conclusions
This study shows that women with gynecological diseases have only moderate knowledge about clinical studies.
In addition, their knowledge and willingness to participate in research studies are strongly dependent on age (P < 0.001), educational level (P < 0.001), and presenting condition (P < 0.001). Middle-aged patients, those with a high educational level, and those who presented with pregnancy or endometriosis, were informed best about research studies. A majority of the patients considered that clinical studies were useful, but only a few patients were also willing to take part in them. Various factors may influence patients’ willingness to participate in medical studies and their attitudes toward the design and conduct of such studies. General public information should be provided about the background to research studies. To increase the rates of participation in clinical studies, the patients need more intensive information about the benefits to themselves that the relevant study can offer. Physicians need to respond in a targeted way to patients’ questions and anxieties. Future research should concentrate on the development of tools (e.g., web-based tools) to optimize individualized information provision about the background of research studies in ways that are based on age, educational level, and health condition. Tools of this sort and the effect of approval for them from medical professional associations should be evaluated in the framework of future clinical trials.

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