Impact on Instructional Video on Patients' Compliance With Preparation During CT Planning for Prostate Cancer

An estimated 23,600 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in Canada in 2014. This represents 24% of all new cancer cases in men in 2014. The SOCC treats 1000 patients with prostate cancer annually. Patients who fail to follow instructions for the initial prostate planning CT scan need to return to be rescanned at a later date. Additional CTs can increase patients' parking and transportation costs and may increase their anxiety. Rescanning may also cause stress to radiation therapists due to unsuccessful planning, increase costs to the cancer centre for the additional time of radiation therapists and increase the planning CT wait time for other patients. Thus improving patients' preparedness for the prostate planning CT scan will reduce costs for patients and the hospital, reduce anxiety and stress for both patients and practitioners, reduce CT scan wait times, maximize the accuracy of prostate IMRT. In a study of 220 patients receiving chemotherapy or radiotherapy, Thomas used video education and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD) and found a significant correlation between satisfaction and reduced overall treatment related anxiety in the video group22.

Purpose To determine the effectiveness of the introduction of a video on patient preparedness for patients receiving a CT Scan for radiotherapy to the prostate.

Methods The project will consist of three phases: video production, experiment and data collection, and analysis and dissemination.

1. Video production - The investigators will produce the instructional video, test the video, and revise based on initial feedback. Christopher Townsend and Sunnybrook Media will produce the video using the script written by Agnes Ryzynski, with input from team members. The script will highlight the importance of rectal and bladder preparation prior and during the planning CT scans. Images will be presented showing both normal and abnormal preparation examples, instructing patients how to prepare for the planning CT scan. The video will be tested by patients and radiation oncologists, nurses and radiation therapists prior to launch.
2. Experiment and data collection - The investigators will use a control experimental group design. The RA will recruit sixty participants at their pre-planning appointment date or via telephone. The RA will present the study rationale; those who agree to participate will sign the study consent, and be assigned a study entry number. Participants will be randomly assigned to either the control group or the experimental group. The sample size was calculated based on the observed proportion of patients needed to be rescanned: 0.76 (42/55). To have a treatment group with a proportion of 0.38 who needed to be rescanned, a 50% decrease, the investigators will need at least 25 patients in each group to have a power of 0.8, given a 0.05 significance level. To account for study attrition (no more than 20% loss of participants), the investigators will require 30 subjects per group to observe a large treatment effect (e.g. 50% decreases in the proportion of rescanning).
3. Data analysis and dissemination - A statistical analysis will be conducted on the patient preparedness data. The investigators will conduct quantitative analysis of the evaluations form using a Likert scale. Patients' evaluations will also contain open ended questions to capture patients' comments about their experiences during the study. The investigators will analyze the details about patients' and radiation therapists' satisfaction and patients' knowledge about the video content.

Confidentiality Patient confidentiality will be assured. All patients will have assigned a study number and their names will not be disclosed at any time. All study data will be kept in a locked cabinet, that only the investigators have access to.