Computer-Based Continuing Education for Doctors in Examination and Counseling of Patients on Skin Cancer or Weight Control

Melanoma (Skin) Clinical Trial

Official title:

Efficacy of Web-Based Instruction on Skin Cancer Triage

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT00295906
• Other study ID #: CDR0000454721
• Secondary ID: RIH-1050258954A1
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• First received: February 23, 2006
• Last updated: December 17, 2013
• Start date: June 2004

Study information

• Verified date: November 2008
• Source: National Cancer Institute (NCI)
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Unspecified
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

RATIONALE: Computer-based continuing education courses may be effective in improving the skills of primary care doctors to identify skin cancer risk factors, perform skin cancer exams, and counsel patients. They may also improve the skills of primary care doctors to assess and counsel patients on their weight, diet, and physical activity.

PURPOSE: This randomized clinical trial is studying how well computer-based continuing education courses work in improving doctors' ability to perform skin cancer or weight control exams and counseling during routine office visits.

Description:

OBJECTIVES:

Primary

• Compare the efficacy of a continuing education course designed to improve primary care physician performance in examination and counseling of patients about skin cancer vs a continuing education course designed to improve physician assessment of weight management.

• Evaluate physician performance of skin examination during routine patient visits at 12 months after completion of the skin cancer continuing education course.

• Evaluate physician counseling around skin cancer issues.

Secondary

• Evaluate the efficacy of the skin cancer continuing education course in improving physician skin cancer triage skills and in changing physician attitudes and knowledge regarding skin cancer issues.

• Assess improvements in physician assessment of weight, diet, and physical activity.

OUTLINE: This is a randomized, multicenter study. Physicians are stratified according to participating center. Physicians are randomized to 1 of 2 intervention arms.

• Arm I (skin cancer continuing education course): Physicians complete a 1-hour continuing education course on skin cancer. The course is available to the physician as a reference for up to 12 months. Physicians complete an online test at baseline, immediately after the course is completed, and at 1 month and 12 months after course completion to assess their knowledge, attitudes, skill, and practices towards skin examination and skin cancer counseling.

Patients are interviewed by telephone within 1 week after a routine office visit with their physician to assess the physician's skin assessment and skin cancer counseling practices. The interviews are conducted prior to and at 1 month and 12 months after the physician completes the continuing education course.

• Arm II (weight control continuing education course): Physicians complete a 1-hour continuing education course on weight, dietary, and physical activity assessment and counseling. The course is available to the physician as a reference for up to 12 months. Physicians complete an online test at baseline, immediately after the course is completed, and at 1 month and 12 months after course completion to assess their knowledge, attitudes, skill, and practices towards weight, dietary, and physical activity assessment and counseling.

Patients are interviewed by telephone within 1 week after a routine office visit with their physician to assess the physician's weight, dietary, and physical activity assessment and counseling practices. The interviews are conducted prior to and at 1 month and 12 months after the physician completes the continuing education course.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 50 physicians and 4,500 patients will be accrued for this study.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 4550
• Est. primary completion date: January 2008
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: Both
• Age group: 18 Years and older

Eligibility

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Primary care physician, meeting all of the following criteria:

• General internist or family physician

• Must devote at least 75% of their time to primary care practice

• At least 1 year in practice

• Must be in a community-based practice with no more than 1 participating physician per practice

• Must not be planning to retire within the next 2 years

• Has a patient population that is predominantly at substantial risk of melanoma and other skin cancers (i.e., adults whose non-sun-exposed skin color is white or tan, but not brown)

• Patient

• Adult who is scheduled for a routine office visit with a study physician

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Not specified

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• Not specified

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Melanoma (Skin)
• Non-melanomatous Skin Cancer
• Skin Neoplasms

Intervention

Other:
• educational intervention

• internet-based intervention

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center	Columbus	Ohio
United States	Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University - Philadelphia	Philadelphia	Pennsylvania
United States	Rhode Island Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center	Providence	Rhode Island
United States	Scripps-Ranch Family Medicine Clinic at University of California	San Diego	California
United States	University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita	Wichita	Kansas

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Rhode Island Hospital	National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Patient exit interviews at 12 months			No
Secondary	Patient exit interviews at 2 months			No