Reactions to Disease Risk Information

NCT00774254 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 09000909-HG-0009
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 132
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study is part of an effort to learn about interactions between doctors and patients. The study will use virtual reality technology to examine how patients and doctors interact when they discuss disease risks. Men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 who have access to the Internet and were born and raised in the United States may be eligible for this study. Participants will be recruited from the Washington D.C. area. Participants undergo the following procedures:

• Complete an online questionnaire about their health-related background, family health history, cancer risk perceptions, and demographic information (e.g., age, marital status, education, etc.).
• Participate in activities in a virtual reality environment in which they interact with a virtual doctor in a virtual clinical scenario. For this experiment, participants wear a head-mounted display that allows them to see the virtual world images.
• Fill out a second questionnaire after completing the virtual reality activities. This questionnaire includes information on the participants virtual reality experience, the information provided in the experience, and questions about themselves and their background.

Conditions

Cancer

Keywords

Virtual Reality Technology; Communication; Doctor-Patient Communication

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Risk Perception

  The objective of the proposed study is to examine a cognitive bias known as anchoring and adjustment that may occur during provider-patient interactions, such as during provision of risk information for common, complex diseases that have both genetic and behavioralcomponents.

  ongoing

Study Arms (1)

A

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: A; Behavioral: B

Interventions

A BEHAVIORAL

Intervention

A

B BEHAVIORAL

Intervention

A

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 25 Years - 40 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Self-reported ability to speak, read, and write in English.
• Self identifying as African-American or Black
• Having been born and raised in the U.S.
• Not having been diagnosed with any of the diseases used in the experiment.
• Being between 25 and 40 years of age.
• Having access to the Internet.
• Both men and women will be included in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Individuals below the age of 25 because they might not yet have completed their education and those above the age of 40 because they might have less familiarity with interactive technologies than younger individuals.
• Because the study will utilize virtual reality technology, individuals who are particularly susceptible to motion sickness will be excluded.
• All individuals with epilepsy, low vision, hearing problems, and vestibular disorders (e.g., vertigo) will be excluded from the study for safety reasons.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI): lead

Study Sites (1)

National Institutes of Health Clinical Center

Bethesda, Maryland, 20892, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Loomis JM, Blascovich JJ, Beall AC. Immersive virtual environment technology as a basic research tool in psychology. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput. 1999 Nov;31(4):557-64. doi: 10.3758/bf03200735.

  PMID: 10633974 BACKGROUND

• Bailenson JN, Blascovich J, Beall AC, Loomis JM. Interpersonal distance in immersive virtual environments. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2003 Jul;29(7):819-33. doi: 10.1177/0146167203029007002.

  PMID: 15018671 BACKGROUND

• Baron RM, Kenny DA. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1986 Dec;51(6):1173-82. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.51.6.1173.

  PMID: 3806354 BACKGROUND

Related Links

• NIH Clinical Center Detailed Web Page

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms; Communication

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Study Officials

• Susan Persky, Ph.D.

  National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: NIH
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 16, 2008
• First Posted: October 17, 2008
• Study Start: June 16, 2009
• Primary Completion: September 30, 2010
• Study Completion: September 30, 2010
• Last Updated: October 1, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-09

Locations

US (1)