ASPO Abstracts

Authors: Ma XR, Wu JW, Bass SB, D'Avanzo PA, Kenny C, Brajuha J, Fleisher L.

Category: Cancer Health Disparities
Conference Year: 2021

Abstract Body:
Purpose of the study Racial and ethnic minorities are less likely to participate in cancer clinical trials, and interventions to address specific concerns and encourage informed decision are needed. The mychoiceTM web- based decision support tool was developed to address these concerns in a culturally diverse patient population in Philadelphia and is being tested in a randomized trial. Baseline data were analyzed to examine disparities that are associated with clinical trial perceptions and physician interactions. Method 250 patients from mychoice trial were recruited and randomized to two groups; 128 received mychoiceTM and 122 received NCI written material on clinical trials. We report the analysis of the baseline survey using independent-samples t-test or ANOVA to compare barriers between gender, education, race, ethnicity, and income. We also report the correlation between age and each outcome. Results Participants were 63.2% female, 38.9% African American, 58.8% with education level more than college, and 43.4% with income more than 50k. Increasing age was positively correlated with both clinical trial perceptions (r=0.20, p=0.002) and comfort with interacting with physicians (r= 0.15, p=0.02). Non-African Americans had better overall perceptions of clinical trial benefits than African Americans (7.77±1.62 vs. 6.79±2.63, p<.001). Among people with more than a college education, perceived benefits of clinical trials was significantly higher than those with lower education levels (7.83±1.83 vs. 6.64±2.35, p<.001). Finally, those making more than 50k a year indicated feeling more comfortable with interacting with physicians than those with income less than 15k a year (9.17±1.45 vs. 8.62±2.21, p=0.04). Conclusion Results from the baseline survey confirm the association of demographic characteristics with clinical trial perceptions and physician interactions. Although many cancer centers have made concerted efforts to increase participation in clinical trials among underrepresented groups, disparities in perceptions about the benefits of clinical trials and the discomfort talking with physicians are still significant barriers to potential clinical trial participation. More interventions aimed at addressing these perceptions to bridge that gap are needed.

Keywords: clinical trail perceptions, decisional conflict, African American, cancer patients

Return to Abstract Listing