Evaluating the Impact of the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal on Cancer Prevention Behaviours in Underserved Populations

Cancer Clinical Trial

Official title:

Evaluating the Impact of the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal on Knowledge, Behavioural Intentions and Health Behaviours Related to Cancer Risk in Underserved Populations.

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT03186703
• Other study ID #: 316590
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: October 1, 2017
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2019

Study information

• Verified date: March 2019
• Source: McMaster University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The goal of the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal is to be a trustworthy source for health information. The Portal team can see (through measuring analytics of website use) that thousands of people are using the Portal and the knowledge-sharing strategies in place (email alerts, Twitter and Facebook), with many more users added each month. Previous studies have measured the quality and trustworthiness of health information available online; others have studied the numbers and populations who use different types of information and how easy it is to use and understand. This study builds on that knowledge to find out: if easy-to-understand evidence-based messages reach members of the public, do these messages change what people know and think to do to stay healthy (in this case, what they know and think to do to lower their risk of cancer)?

Description:

Half of cancers are preventable through lifestyle modification such as smoking cessation, healthy eating, increasing physical activity and reducing alcohol intake; however, few Canadians engage in behaviours that are in line with cancer prevention guidelines. This may be in part due to lack of access to evidence-based information and the mixed messages on effective cancer prevention strategies that are propagated in the popular media.

The McMaster Optimal Aging Portal (the Portal) is a knowledge translation (KT) tool launched in 2014 to increase public access to trustworthy health information. Citizen-friendly content (blog posts, evidence summaries, web resource ratings) provide easy-to-read 'bottom line' messages appropriate for all audiences. Investigators would now like to know if and how KT strategies used to disseminate citizen-targeted information on cancer prevention impact knowledge, behavioural intentions and health behaviours of Canadian adults.

This study will use a sequential mixed-methods design consisting of a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) and a qualitative process study to explore RCT findings in depth. This formative approach will allow for a deeper analysis of the outcomes of interest (knowledge, intentions and behaviours), and the KT process. Following baseline data collection, eligible participants will be randomized to a 12-week intervention or control group.

During the intervention, participants will have access to the Portal, be invited to follow a Twitter and Facebook feed, and receive tailored weekly email alerts including blog posts and evidence summaries on cancer prevention. Control group participants will have access the Portal in a 'self-serve' fashion, but will not receive KT strategies.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 549
• Est. completion date: December 31, 2019
• Est. primary completion date: September 1, 2018
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 40 Years and older

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• English speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

• Previous cancer diagnosis

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Cancer

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Tailored knowledge translation
Tailored knowledge translation strategies specific to evidence-based cancer prevention recommendations

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Canada	McMaster University	Hamilton	Ontario

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
McMaster University	Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Canada, 

References & Publications (1)

Neil-Sztramko SE, Belita E, Levinson AJ, Boyko J, Dobbins M. Evaluation of an online knowledge translation intervention to promote cancer risk reduction behaviours: findings from a randomized controlled trial. BMC Cancer. 2019 Nov 21;19(1):1138. doi: 10.1 — View Citation

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Website engagement	Number of clicks	12 weeks
Primary	Email engagement	Number of clicks	12 weeks
Primary	Social media engagement	Number of clicks	12 weeks
Secondary	Knowledge questionnaire	Participants knowledge of cancer prevention recommendations and guidelines	12 weeks, 3-months post-intervention
Secondary	Beliefs questionnaire	Participants beliefs about the importance of lifestyle in prevention cancer	12 weeks, 3-months post-intervention
Secondary	Intentions questionnaire	Participants intentions to engage in lifestyle behaviours in line with cancer prevention guidelines	12 weeks, 3-months post-intervention
Secondary	Godin leisure time exercise questionnaire	Physical activity	12 weeks, 3 months post-intervention
Secondary	Dietary Screener Questionnaire	Dietary intake	12 weeks, 3 months post-intervention
Secondary	Tobacco Questions for Surveys, World Health Organization	Current smoking behaviour	12 weeks, 3 months post-intervention
Secondary	Seven-day recall alcohol	Alcohol intake	12 weeks, 3 months post-intervention
Secondary	Participant satisfaction	Collected using qualitative interviews	12 weeks