Penn Medicine Biobank Return of Results Program (ROR)

A Randomized Study of Web Versus Genetic Counselor Return of Actionable Genetic Research Results to Biobank Participants

The goal of this hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation study is to evaluate and compare different ways of delivering genetic research results to participants. The main questions the study aims to answer are:

• Is sharing actionable genetic research results with participants through a multimedia patient-informed eHealth intervention (e.g. patient portal) no worse than sharing results by telephone or videoconference with a genetic counselor?
• Will research participants access an eHealth educational intervention or chatbot education to learn about research results being offered and the option to decline learning their individual research results and how frequently participants choose to decline actionable research results?
• Who benefits less and more from digital intervention with return of actionable research results and what barriers exist to using these tools for return of research results outside this study?

Participants in the biobank will be offered digital tools to learn about research results being offered and the option to decline receiving these results. Those who don't decline and have an actionable result will be randomly assigned to receive their results with a genetic counselor or through an eHealth portal. Participants will complete surveys before and after receipt of results to understand patient experiences with these methods of education and return of results to determine if digital tools can be used to help ensure more patients get access to research results which could impact their health.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Cardiovascular Diseases; Cancer; Genetic Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: eHealth education intervention (web or chatbot); Other: private web-portal eHealth disclosure of genetic results

Detailed Description

The scientific aims of the study are:

Aim 1 (Effectiveness of eHealth return of results): To evaluate in a randomized study whether disclosure of actionable genetic results by an eHealth intervention (eHealthROR) provides non-inferior short-term and longitudinal outcomes (knowledge, psychological distress, health and psychosocial behaviors and costs) compared to phone disclosure by a GC (e.g. usual care).

Aim 2 (eHealth education and assessing preferences): To evaluate: a) the uptake of supplemental eHealth (eHealthED) and chatbot education (chatED) among 1250 Penn Biobank research participants notified of the option to opt-out of receipt of actionable genetic research results; b) the frequency of opting-out of receipt of actionable genetic research results; and c) the impact of eHealthED/chatED use on opting out of receipt of results.

Aim 3 (Implementation): To conduct a multi-stakeholder mixed-methods process evaluation, to understand: a) potential moderators (e.g. intervention usage, sociodemographic factors, genetic test result) of short-term and longitudinal outcomes to understand who benefits more or less from eHealth/chatbot education and eHealth return of result; and b) facilitators and barriers to implementation of eHealth/chatbot interventions for return of actionable genetic research results and recommendations for future adaptation and sustainability.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 2500
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, 19104
      • University of Pennsylvania

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Potential subjects will include select individuals who participated in Penn Medicine Biobank, Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocol number 813913.
• English speaking
• Age 18 years or older
• Have an actionable genetic mutation (See Appendix A) or have been selected as a control participant
• Agreed to be re-contacted in the future or were not provided the opportunity to indicate a preference

Exclusion Criteria:

• Deceased assessed by electronic medical record, death index or identified after contact
• Evidence in the clinical record that the subject has already received the same actionable result through clinical genetic testing

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Other: ROR Arm 1; Disclosure of results with a Genetic Counselor.	Other: eHealth education intervention (web or chatbot); The intervention involves pre-disclosure education via an eHealth intervention (web or chatbot). The intervention will review the types of actionable results being returned, the method of return, the differences between research and clinical testing, the need for confirmation testing and the benefits, risks and limitations of receiving actionable genetic research results and study steps and procedures.
Experimental: ROR Arm 2; eHealth disclosure of results by private web-portal (with option to speak with a GC).	Other: eHealth education intervention (web or chatbot); The intervention involves pre-disclosure education via an eHealth intervention (web or chatbot). The intervention will review the types of actionable results being returned, the method of return, the differences between research and clinical testing, the need for confirmation testing and the benefits, risks and limitations of receiving actionable genetic research results and study steps and procedures.; Other: private web-portal eHealth disclosure of genetic results; The intervention involves delivering actionable genetic research results to participants via a secure, private web-portal.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Reactions to Genomic Information	Will be measured using an 8-item version of the Revised Impact of Events Scale (RIES). The RIES has been utilized to assess response to disease-related stressors, such as being at genetic risk. The scale uses a minimum of 0 to maximum of 5 to rate each item. Final total scores range from 0 to 40, with higher scores meaning a worse outcome.	at baseline, and at 2-7 days and 6 months after disclosure of research results
Behavioral Use of Genomic Information	Risk-reducing behaviors intention and performance will be assessed with close-ended and open-ended items depending on the specific gene. General health status and risk modifying behaviors will also be assessed.	at baseline, and at 2-7 days and 6 months after disclosure of research results
Understanding of Genetic Information	Will be evaluated using an adapted version of the Know Gene Scale, a 16-item assessment administered to patients after genetic testing and/or genetic counseling to measure their understanding of the health implications of genetic testing results. The scale uses three responses, Agree, Disagree, and Don't Know, as response to a statement about genetics. Final scores range from 0-16, with a higher score indicating a better outcome for knowledge.	at baseline, and at 2-7 days and 6 months after disclosure of research results

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Perceptions of genetic disease	Perceived risk of cancer or cardiovascular disease will be measured utilizing 2 items. The first item will use a verbal scale with a minimum value of "much lower" to maximum value of "much higher" to measure perceived risk of disease in comparison to general population risk. The second item will assess overall perception of risk utilizing a scale from 0% (minimum) to 100% (maximum) lifetime risk for the disease. Higher values indicate a higher level of perceived risk of disease.	at baseline, and at 2-7 days and 6 months after disclosure of research results
General anxiety and depression	Will be evaluated utilizing the 4-item NIH Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) depression measure and the 4-item NIH PROMIS anxiety measure. The PROMIS depression and anxiety measures each have a minimum score of 4 and a maximum score of 20, with higher scores meaning a worse outcome.	at baseline, and at 2-7 days and 6 months after disclosure of research results
Multidimensional response to testing	Evaluation of distress, uncertainty, and positive responses measured using 20 items from the Multi-dimensional Impact of Cancer Risk Assessment Questionnaire (MICRA). The scale uses a minimum value of 0 (Never) to maximum value of 5 (Often) for each item. Final total scores can range from 0 to 100, with higher scores meaning a worse outcome.	2-7 days and 6 months after disclosure of research results
Communication Intention	3 items evaluating intent to communicate genetic test results with health care providers, family members and other third parties	at 2-7 days after return of results
Communication to others	3 items to evaluate actual communication of genetic test results to health care providers, family members, and other third parties	at 6 months after return of results
Decisional regret (aim 1)	Will be evaluated utilizing the 5-item validated Decisional Regret Scale. The scale uses a minimum value of 1 (Strongly Agree) to maximum value of 5 (Strongly Disagree) for each item. Final total global scores range from 0 (no regret) to 100 (high regret).	at 2-7 days and 6 months after return of results

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine
• Collaborators: Fox Chase Cancer Center; Columbia University; Thomas Jefferson University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Angela Bradbury, MD, University of Pennsylvania

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 20, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 21, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 16, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): October 19, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 26, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 21, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Genetic testing; Genetic counseling; Return of research results
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities; Neoplasms; Cardiovascular Diseases; Genetic Diseases, Inborn
• Other Study ID Numbers: UPCC 10023; 853617 (Other Identifier: University of Pennsylvania IRB)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: We will adhere to the NIH Grant Policy on Sharing of Unique Research Resources including the Sharing of Biomedical Research Resources Principles and Guidelines for Recipients of NIH Grants and Contracts. Any unique resources developed as a result of this grant, will be made available immediately after publication. We will consider requests for individual participant data, contingent upon signing a Data Use Agreement.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No