Clinical Trial: Alternative Sensory Presentation Formats in Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Study Status: Withdrawn
Recruit Status: Withdrawn
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: A Randomized Trial of Alternative Sensory Presentation Formats in Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis

Brief Summary:

Background: In a previous study, information verbally presented as relative risk (e.g. "50% less likely") or qualitative risk (e.g. "significantly less likely") resulted in many more people (66%) choosing a surgical procedure for narrowing or artery in the neck than people presented with absolute risk (e.g. "11% versus 5% over 5 years"), annualized risk (e.g. "2% versus 1% per year for 5 years") and event-free survival (e.g. "95% versus 89% over 5 years") (33%).

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the same observations are true for information that is presented visually as a bar graph. In addition, the investigators also seek to determine whether subjects feel that they understand the information better when presented visually as compared with verbally.

Methods: 450 subjects will be approached in the neurology clinic as they are waiting for their office visit. If the subject agrees to participate in this 10 minute study, they will be taken to a quiet room where they will watch a 1 minute video on a laptop. The video will feature an acting physician. The presenter will be the same for all experiment groups. The presenter will describe a hypothetical medical situation in which a narrowing of one of the carotid (neck) arteries is present. The presenter will then describe the risk of a stroke related to that condition if the subject chooses medical therapy versus medical and surgical therapy. The presentation of risk will vary and may be presented in one of 3 different ways including a qualitative description, an absolute risk reduction over a fixed time period, and a relative risk reduction. These three risk groups will be presented either verbally or visually through bar graphs. In the visual subject groups, the presenter will be holding up a graph a

Detailed Summary:

Background: A previous randomized study found that verbal presentation of benefit of surgery in asymptomatic carotid stenosis expressed as qualitative or relative risk resulted in a higher proportion (66% versus 33%) of subjects choosing surgery as compared to subjects presented absolute risk, yearly risk, or event-free survival. Other variables that increased the choice of surgery were male gender, younger age, and higher level of education. Nevertheless, presentation format was the strongest predictor of treatment choice.

Objective/Hypothesis: To determine whether presentation format affects visual representation of information. The investigators hypothesis is that visual representation of both positive and negative outcomes in a single bar graph will result in less subjects favoring surgery as compared to those only shown relative information in a bar graph. The investigators also hypothesize that subjects shown visual information will express a greater understanding of information presented to them as compared to those given verbal information.

Specific Aims: 1) To determine whether presentation format affects visual representation of information. 2) To determine whether subjects given visual representations of information express a greater understanding of the information as compared with subjects given verbal representations of information.

Study Design: 450 subjects will be approached in the neurology clinic as they are waiting for their office visit. Subjects without carotid stenosis will be approached randomly by the principal investigator or one of the co-investigators. They will be asked to participate in the study after completing their office visit with their physician. In the event that the patient is expecting longer than a 30 minute delay to see their physic
Sponsor: Rhode Island Hospital

Current Primary Outcome: Decision to have surgery [ Time Frame: 6 months ]

Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: Rhode Island Hospital

Dates:
Date Received: February 6, 2012
Date Started: February 2012
Date Completion: May 2012
Last Updated: April 7, 2016
Last Verified: April 2016