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

December 17, 2013 updated by: Rhode Island Hospital

Efficacy of Web-Based Instruction on Skin Cancer Triage

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.

Study Overview

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed 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.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

4550

Phase

Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Locations

United States
- California
  - San Diego, California, United States, 32131
    - Recruiting
    - Scripps-Ranch Family Medicine Clinic at University of California
    - Contact:
      
      Martin L. Kabongo, MD, PhD
      
      Phone Number: 858-657-7786
- Kansas
  - Wichita, Kansas, United States, 67214-3199
    - Recruiting
    - University of Kansas School of Medicine - Wichita
    - Contact:
      
      Ken J. Kallail, PhD
      
      Phone Number: 316-293-2650
- Ohio
  - Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210-1240
    - Recruiting
    - Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute at Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center
    - Contact:
      
      Ohio State University Cancer Clinical Trial Matching Service
      
      Phone Number: 866-627-7616
      
      Email: Jamesline@osumc.edu
- Pennsylvania
  - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19107-5541
    - Recruiting
    - Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University - Philadelphia
- Rhode Island
  - Providence, Rhode Island, United States, 02903
    - Recruiting
    - Rhode Island Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Center
    - Contact:
      
      Clinical Trials Office - Rhode Island Hospital Comprehensive C
      
      Phone Number: 401-444-1488

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

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

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 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

Allocation: Randomized

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Patient exit interviews at 12 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Patient exit interviews at 2 months

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Rhode Island Hospital

Collaborators

National Cancer Institute (NCI)

Investigators

Study Chair: Martin A. Weinstock, MD, PhD, Rhode Island Hospital

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

June 1, 2004

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

January 1, 2008

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 23, 2006

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 23, 2006

First Posted (Estimate)

February 24, 2006

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

December 18, 2013

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 17, 2013

Last Verified

November 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

CDR0000454721
RIH-1050258954A1
RIH-0348-03

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.