Patients' motives for consenting or refusing to participate in a clinical trial in organ transplantation

Translation and validation of the greek version of a questionnaire measuring patient views on participation in clinical trials

Background

The increasing number of clinical research opportunities requires increasing numbers of participants in clinical trials. However, it may become increasingly problematic, as protocols have become increasingly complex. Better understanding of patients’ attitudes towards their potential participation in clinical trials is essential for developing effective clinical trial recruitment strategies. In Greece, limited research has been conducted on this topic so far. This study aims to contribute to filling this gap.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. The Greek version of a recently developed questionnaire measuring patient views on participation in clinical trials, a 27-item scale distributed into four factors, was tested. In addition, participants were asked to provide information regarding their socio-demographics. A demographic comparison was conducted.

Results

The four-factor solution derived in our study consisted of the same 27 items and it was different from the six-factor solution that Arnetz et al. proposed. The factors risks and benefits, that consisted of 5 and 3 items respectively in the six-factor solution, were merged into one factor that consisted of 10 items in the four-factor solution. The four factors produced were Risks and benefits (ten items, α = 0,867), Patient’s expectations (six items, α = 0.864), Patient’s participation (five items, α = 0.827), and Cost and convenience (five items, α = 0,770). We found that demographic factors did not impact patients’ opinions about clinical trials participation, except for gender. The participants reported as important for participating in clinical trial: receiving clear and adequate information (95,5 %) and being given the opportunity to ask questions (97,8 %), take part in discussions regarding their own treatment (94,6 %), and voice their concerns and opinions (91,1 %). As factors strongly associated with participants’ willingness to participate in a clinical trial were reported: concerns about the risks of being in a clinical trial (87,5 %), the possible side effects of clinical trials (86,3 %), the type of treatment given in a clinical trial (83,7 %), and whether participation would improve their quality of life (QoL) (81,5 %).

Conclusions

The preliminary validation of the Greek version of the questionnaire measuring patient perceptions and expectations of participating in clinical trials demonstrated acceptable validity and reliability and could be further tested in larger samples. The findings that emerged from this study are in line with previous literature.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12913-021-07111-x.

Barriers and Facilitators in Conducting Clinical Trials in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Monocentric Italian Survey

BACKGROUND

Clinical therapeutic trials are a fundamental tool for identifying and testing new categories of drugs useful for ensuring clinical benefit in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD). A number of difficulties may affect the recruitment process in large clinical trials.

OBJECTIVES

In order to increase the involvement of patients within clinical trials in IBD therapy, it is necessary to identify which factors could facilitate or discourage participation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the factors influencing the participation in clinical trials in a consecutive series of patients with IBD from a single referral center from Southern Italy.

METHODS

Consecutive patients with Crohn´s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) were recruited to complete a questionnaire dealing with their knowledge about clinical trials and attitudes towards participation. Patients also completed the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (S-IBDQ) to investigate their Quality of Life (QoL). Demographic and clinical data were recorded.

RESULTS

Of the 145 consecutive patients invited to the survey, 132 completed the survey (91% response rate). Of them, 67% claimed their willingness to take part in a clinical therapeutic trial for IBD. Multivariate analysis showed a significant positive association between interest in clinical trials and previous experience (p = 0.014), high education (p < 0.001), poor QoL (p = 0.016), money retributions (p = 0.03) and informative materials (p = 0.02). On the other hand, a long-standing disease (p = 0.017), the possibility of receiving a placebo (p = 0.04) and the frequent colonoscopies required by the study protocol (p = 0.04) were significantly associated with the lack of interest in clinical trials.

CONCLUSION

In a native local resident series of IBD patients, the majority of the patients were willing to participate in a clinical therapeutic trial. A long-standing disease, placebo and invasive procedures represented a barrier to enrollment while previous experience, high education, monetary compensation and adequate information could be facilitative. Knowing barriers and facilitators affecting participation in IBD clinical trials is of fundamental importance in order to increase the involvement of patients in research and explore new treatment opportunities.

Analysis of the perceptions and attitudes to participate in radical and palliative clinical trials among Chinese lymphoma and head/neck cancer patients

Objective: The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate the perceptions and attitudes to participate in radical and palliative clinical trials among Chinese lymphoma and head/neck cancer patients.

Patients and Methods: A self-developed questionnaire was administered to hospitalized patients in the Department of Medical Oncology in Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center between 20 September 2014 and 20 September 2015. This study included lymphoma patients who were enrolled into a radical treatment clinical trial, and head/neck cancer patients participating in a palliative clinical trial.

Results: There were 136 lymphoma patients and 87 head/neck cancer patients who completed and returned the questionnaire. The questionnaire return rate was 100%. More than 90% of the patients in both groups showed trust and acceptance for medical care personnel, and more than 50% of the patients in both groups were in hope of trying new medication, receiving free medication, and receiving new treatment at an earlier rate. As compared with those in the radical trials, patients in the palliative clinical trials were more likely to hope to try new medication (P<0.001) and receive a new treatment at an earlier date (P=0.025), but less likely to hope to receive free medication (P=0.047).

Conclusions: This study reveals several shared perceptions and needs of patients in both the radical (lymphoma) and palliative (head/neck cancer) settings and explores the differences in patients' attitudes between radical clinical trials and palliative clinical trials. These findings may provide a basis for improving recruitment of patients for different types of clinical trials and ensuring that patients have a better understanding of clinical trials.

Barriers and Facilitating Factors for Research Involvement in Cancer Centers: A Survey of Colorectal Cancer Center Coordinators in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland

Improvements in health care depend on research involving health-care providers (HCPs) and health-care organizations (HCOs). Existing research suggests that involvement in research studies is still much lower than it could be. This study investigates factors that may impede or facilitate research involvement. A standardized online questionnaire was used to carry out a survey, in 3 countries, of key informants in colorectal cancer centers that hold certification in accordance with the requirements of the German Cancer Society. A total of 184 individuals responded (response rate 65%). The respondents found it difficult to identify studies suitable for their patients (40% agreement), criticized the small overall number of studies available (48%), and found that many studies are not worthwhile financially (56%). Among respondents who were not involved in studies as the principal investigators (PIs), 66% agreed they lacked the research infrastructure needed and 81% that they did not have enough staff. Among respondents who were involved as PIs, only 22% indicated that their hospital management encouraged them to initiate and conduct clinical trials. Eighty-five percent of the respondents agreed that the general population lacks information about the importance of studies. Five recommendations for health policy makers are derived from these findings for ways of increasing the involvement of HCPs and HCOs in research, and in cancer research in particular.