From Screening to Support: A Multi-Method Analysis of HRSN Integration in Cancer Care

February 10, 2026 updated by: Thomas Jefferson University

This observational study aims to identify the factors that influence whether cancer patients accept or decline supportive care services after screening positive for health-related social needs (HRSNs) at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center.

The study focuses on adult oncology patients who previously reported at least one HRSN-such as transportation, food, housing, or utility needs-but declined assistance when it was offered.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

  • What factors shape cancer patients' intentions to use supportive care services for HRSNs?
  • Why do patients who screen positive for HRSNs choose not to accept help offered by the healthcare system?

Participants will:

  • Complete a one-time electronic survey delivered via MyChart or email.
  • Optionally participate in a semi-structured Zoom interview (for a subset of 20-30 survey respondents) to explore decision-making in greater depth.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This is a cross-sectional observational study. There will be 500 participants for MyChart survey and 20 participants for semi-structured interviews. Surveys will be distributed via MyChart and email and will take about 10 minutes to complete. The main purpose of this study is to understand why SKCCC participants are not seeking support for their corresponding HRSNs from the healthcare system. The hypothesis is that a range of factors are contributing to SKCCC patients' decline of resources to address risks identified in HRSN screening potentially inclusive of mistrust of healthcare systems, perception that there are no resources to help, feelings others can use the resources more than themselves, as well as protective factors like past resiliency and resourcefulness. An examination of the initial HRSN screening data for cancer patients within this health system revealed that, in 2024, 5,727 (74.7%; n=7662) patients who were in active cancer treatment completed the HRSN screening questionnaire in four domains: transportation access, food insecurity, housing instability, and utility needs. Of these, 716 patients (12.5%) reported having a need in at least one HRSN domain. However, only 343 patients (47.9%, n = 716) wanted help from the healthcare system to address their HRSN(s). This highlights that the majority (52.1%, n = 716) of cancer patients in active treatment who have been screened for HRSN have unmet needs that could be addressed but are not being flagged as such in our healthcare system. This preliminary data sheds light on the concrete and resource needs of cancer patients, but there is not a good understanding of why participants are not seeking support for their corresponding HRSNs from the healthcare system.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
500

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107
        • Recruiting
        • Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University
        • Contact:

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adult cancer patients who received care at SKCCC who were engaged in HRSN screening

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Individuals must meet all of the following inclusion criteria in order to be eligible to participate in the study:

    • Provide informed consent via check box for survey
    • Provide verbal consent via Zoom for interview
    • Must be able to read and understand English
    • Willing to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of the study
    • Patients with existing HRSN data in their EHR that answere4d yes to risk in at least one domain and no to wanting help/follow up

Exclusion Criteria:

  • An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study:

    • If they do not consent
    • Non-patients with existing HRSN data in their EHR
    • Individuals unable to complete the survey due to language barriers or other cognitive limitations

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

Cohorts and Interventions

Group / Cohort

Group / Cohort

A group or subgroup of participants in an observational study that is assessed for biomedical or health outcomes.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Cancer Patients Screened for Health-Related Social Needs (HRSNs)
This group includes adult cancer patients receiving care at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center (SKCCC) who previously completed a Health-Related Social Needs (HRSNs) screening in the electronic health record. This will be achieved by providing patients with a one-time survey. The surveys will be distributed via MyChart messages and emails. Additionally, 20 patients who complete the survey will be asked to complete a short interview to further understand why cancer patients identified as high-risk for HRSNs decline connections to care and intervention-ultimately to gain an understanding into the factors that they take into account when determining whether they want to be connected to a resource or service connection related to HRSNs.
Other: Survey
Participants complete a one-time electronic survey to assess factors influencing the decision to decline assistance for identified Health-Related Social Needs (HRSNs). The survey includes questions related to transportation access, food insecurity, housing instability, and utility needs. Survey completion takes approximately 10 minutes.
Other: Interview
Interviews will be semi-structured and will be offered to 20 participants who have completed the survey and meet eligibility criteria. Interviews will be conducted via a Zoom. Zoom will create a transcription of the interview which will be saved in a secure encrypted space, no video will be saved.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Factors influencing cancer patients' intent to use oncology supportive care for HRSNs
Time Frame: approximately 4 months
Measured via Surveys (self-reported) using a structured questionnaires with binary (Yes/No) responses and Likert Style questions (Quality of Life and FACT-ES).
approximately 4 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Factors associated with declining HSRN-related supportive care services
Time Frame: approximately 4 months
Interviews will be semi-structured and will be offered to 20 participants who have completed the survey and meet eligibility criteria.
approximately 4 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Thomas Jefferson University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Munjireen Sifat, PhD, MPH, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 11, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 9, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 9, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 20, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
February 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
February 10, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • iRISID-2025-1005
  • JT 46229 (Other Identifier: JeffTrial Number)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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