Understanding Patient Perspectives on the Risks of Ionizing Radiation Used for Medical Imaging

Summary

Risks from imaging-related radiation exposure have become a popular topic in the media. Because these tests are commonly applied to patients at a cancer center, it is important to understand what patients know, how they feel about what they know, where they get their information, and how satisfied they are with available risk-benefit communication on this topic.

The purpose of this study is to understand how cancer patients perceive risks and benefits of diagnostic radiation and their satisfaction with healthcare communication on this topic.

Conditions

• Breast Cancer
• Colon Cancer
• Lung Cancer
• Neuroblastoma
• Testicular Cancer

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Focus Group Sessions

Participants will complete a pre-focus group demographic questionnaire. Focus group participants will be asked to report the following: current age; gender; race/ethnicity; income; highest education attained; occupation; and cancer stage if participant has a cancer history. Participants who are parents of pediatric patients will also report their child's current age, gender, and cancer stage. Ten questions will be developed by the investigators and posed to each group by the moderator to solicit the desired information. The objective for the focus groups will be to systematically explore three domains: 1) what participants know about radiation as it relates to medical imaging; 2) how what they know or believe about radiation shapes their attitudes about it; 3) and participant perceptions regarding the availability and adequacy of their sources, including risk-benefit communication with health care providers

BEHAVIORAL

Focus Group Sessions

Participants will complete a pre-focus group demographic questionnaire. Focus group participants will be asked to report the following: current age; gender; race/ethnicity; income; highest education attained; occupation; and cancer stage if participant has a cancer history. Participants who are parents of pediatric patients will also report their child's current age, gender, and cancer stage. Ten questions will be developed by the investigators and posed to each group by the moderator to solicit the desired information. The objective for the focus groups will be to systematically explore three domains: 1) what participants know about radiation as it relates to medical imaging; 2) how what they know or believe about radiation shapes their attitudes about it; 3) and participant perceptions regarding the availability and adequacy of their sources, including risk-benefit communication with health care providers

BEHAVIORAL

Focus Group Sessions

Participants will complete a pre-focus group demographic questionnaire. Focus group participants will be asked to report the following: current age; gender; race/ethnicity; income; highest education attained; occupation; and cancer stage if participant has a cancer history. Participants who are parents of pediatric patients will also report their child's current age, gender, and cancer stage. Ten questions will be developed by the investigators and posed to each group by the moderator to solicit the desired information. The objective for the focus groups will be to systematically explore three domains: 1) what participants know about radiation as it relates to medical imaging; 2) how what they know or believe about radiation shapes their attitudes about it; 3) and participant perceptions regarding the availability and adequacy of their sources, including risk-benefit communication with health care providers

BEHAVIORAL

Focus Group Sessions

Participants will complete a pre-focus group demographic questionnaire. Focus group participants will be asked to report the following: current age; gender; race/ethnicity; income; highest education attained; occupation; and cancer stage if participant has a cancer history. Participants who are parents of pediatric patients will also report their child's current age, gender, and cancer stage. Ten questions will be developed by the investigators and posed to each group by the moderator to solicit the desired information. The objective for the focus groups will be to systematically explore three domains: 1) what participants know about radiation as it relates to medical imaging; 2) how what they know or believe about radiation shapes their attitudes about it; 3) and participant perceptions regarding the availability and adequacy of their sources, including risk-benefit communication with health care providers

BEHAVIORAL

Focus Group Sessions

Participants will complete a pre-focus group demographic questionnaire. Focus group participants will be asked to report the following: current age; gender; race/ethnicity; income; highest education attained; occupation; and cancer stage if participant has a cancer history. Participants who are parents of pediatric patients will also report their child's current age, gender, and cancer stage. Ten questions will be developed by the investigators and posed to each group by the moderator to solicit the desired information. The objective for the focus groups will be to systematically explore three domains: 1) what participants know about radiation as it relates to medical imaging; 2) how what they know or believe about radiation shapes their attitudes about it; 3) and participant perceptions regarding the availability and adequacy of their sources, including risk-benefit communication with health care providers

BEHAVIORAL

Focus Group Sessions

Participants will complete a pre-focus group demographic questionnaire. Focus group participants will be asked to report the following: current age; gender; race/ethnicity; income; highest education attained; occupation; and cancer stage if participant has a cancer history. Participants who are parents of pediatric patients will also report their child's current age, gender, and cancer stage. Ten questions will be developed by the investigators and posed to each group by the moderator to solicit the desired information. The objective for the focus groups will be to systematically explore three domains: 1) what participants know about radiation as it relates to medical imaging; 2) how what they know or believe about radiation shapes their attitudes about it; 3) and participant perceptions regarding the availability and adequacy of their sources, including risk-benefit communication with health care providers

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Raymond Thornton, MD · Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2011-11-30

Primary Completion

2015-06-30

Completion

2015-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations