Ellis SD, Vaidya R, Unger JM, Stratton K, Gills J, Van Veldhuizen P, Mederos E, Dressler EV, Hudson MF, Kamen C, Neuman HB, Kazak AE, Carlos RC, Weaver KE. Access to urologists for participation in research: An analysis of NCI's Community Oncology Research Program landscape survey.
Contemp Clin Trials Commun 2022;
29:100981. [PMID:
36033360 PMCID:
PMC9403500 DOI:
10.1016/j.conctc.2022.100981]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose
Urological cancer clinical trials face accrual challenges, which may stem from structural barriers within cancer programs. We sought to describe the extent to which urology cancer care providers are available within community cancer research programs and explore the role of oncology practice group ownership in their access to urology practices to participate in research.
Materials and methods
We conducted secondary analysis of organizational survey data collected in 2017 among National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program practice groups. We used logistic regression to assess the association of self-reported access to urologists to participate in research and oncology practice group ownership type: independent, payor-provider, health-system, or public ownership.
Results
Of the 209 community oncology practice groups in the analysis sample, 133 (63.6%) had access to urologists for research participation. Ownership was not statistically significantly associated with access to urology practices after controlling for other covariates (p = 0.4). Instead, having a hospital outpatient clinic (p = 0.008) and identifying as a safety-net hospital (p = 0.035) were both positively significantly associated with access to urologists to participate in research.
Conclusions
Two-thirds of community cancer research groups have access to urology. Oncology ownership status was not associated with access to urologists for research. Research groups may need support to increase their capacity to engage non-oncology cancer care providers in research.
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