Evaluating Mammography Communication Approaches

N/AActive Not RecruitingNCT07228234

University of Colorado, Denver1,900 enrolled

Overview

This is a randomized online experiment testing different methods for communicating about the benefits and harms of breast cancer screening. Participants will be randomly assigned to experimental conditions which vary whether screening outcomes are referred to as "benefits and harms" vs. "outcomes that can happen with screening", and vary the presence or absence of information about improvements in breast cancer survivability. In a control condition, participants receive basic information about what mammography is (which is also information received in all other conditions). Primary outcomes include skepticism toward the information presented, and screening intentions.

This is a randomized online experiment testing different methods for communicating about the benefits and harms of breast cancer screening. Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 5 experimental conditions, in a 2 x 2 + 1 factorial design, which vary (1) whether screening outcomes are referred to as "benefits and harms" vs. "outcomes that can happen with screening", and (2) the presence or absence of information about improvements in breast cancer treatment and survivability. In a 5th arm, a control condition, participants receive basic information about what mammography is (which is also information received in all other conditions). Primary outcomes include skepticism toward the information presented, and screening intentions.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

1,900

Conditions

The Focus of This Study is to Identify How Different Approaches to Mammography Communication Affect Skepticism Toward Mammography Evidence

Interventions

Harm/benefit language vs. outcomes that can happenOTHER

Information about mortality benefit, false positives and overdiagnosis are referred to throughout the communication as either "harms" and "benefits" or "outcomes that can happen".

Breast cancer survivability informationOTHER

Information about improvements over time in the survivability of breast cancer is provided vs. not

No interventionOTHER

This is the control condition in which only basic information about mammography screening.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Skepticism toward the screening message

Skepticism toward the screening message is assessed using the RED scale, consisting of 11 questions each measured on a 7-point Likert scale

Time frame: Participant experience entails a one-time survey. This outcome is measured in that survey, immediately after participants read information about mammography screening.