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Almaqhawi A, AlHussain AK, Alharbi M, Alsaad RS, Alsuhayyih MK, Alhumam T, Alamer M, Almohammed AH, Bu Haya MM. Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Clinical Trial Participation: A Cross-Sectional Study in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Cureus 2023; 15:e47823. [PMID: 38021656 PMCID: PMC10676750 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.47823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aims to assess the knowledge and attitudes toward clinical trial (CT) participation among the adult population in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Material and methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among the population of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the general population using an online survey. Results A total of 334 participants completed the questionnaire. Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 65 years, with a mean age of 31.2 ± 13.9 years, 56.6% of whom were males, 42.2% were employed, 29.6% were students, and 23.1% were unemployed. Surprisingly, only a small percentage of respondents (7.5%) were requested to participate in a randomized controlled trial (RCT), of which the majority did partake. Additionally, 25.4% of participants believe CTs are used to evaluate new drugs; others believe that CTs are used to understand diseases and human behavior. The data show that most participants believe that CTs improve patient care, welfare, and society. Also, participants were more likely to take part if they were aware of the study's purpose and findings and were given more time to consider their options. Conclusion Participants believed that the biggest obstacle was a lack of knowledge of CTs. It is crucial to educate patients more about CTs. Multimodal strategies such as improved patient-provider communication and online information for trial information sharing may be effective in boosting knowledge and CT recruitment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Meshal Alharbi
- College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, SAU
| | - Rawan S Alsaad
- College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, SAU
| | | | - Turki Alhumam
- College of Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, SAU
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Pahus L, Suehs CM, Halimi L, Bourdin A, Chanez P, Jaffuel D, Marciano J, Gamez AS, Vachier I, Molinari N. Patient distrust in pharmaceutical companies: an explanation for women under-representation in respiratory clinical trials? BMC Med Ethics 2020; 21:72. [PMID: 32791969 PMCID: PMC7424561 DOI: 10.1186/s12910-020-00509-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patient skepticism concerning medical innovations can have major consequences for current public health and may threaten future progress, which greatly relies on clinical research. The primary objective of this study is to determine the variables associated with patient acceptation or refusal to participate in clinical research. Specifically, we sought to evaluate if distrust in pharmaceutical companies and associated psychosocial factors could represent a recruitment bias in clinical trials and thus threaten the applicability of their results. METHODS This prospective, multicenter survey consisted in the administration of a self-questionnaire to patients during a pulmonology consultation. The 1025 questionnaires distributed collected demographics, socio-professional and basic health literacy characteristics. Patients were asked to rank their level of trust for pharmaceutical companies and indicate their willingness to participate in different categories of research (pre or post marketing, sponsored by an academic institution or pharmaceutical company). Logistic regression was used to determine factors contributing to "trust" versus "distrust" group membership and willingness to participate in each category of research. RESULTS One thousand patients completed the survey, corresponding to a response rate of 97.5%. Data from 838 patients were analyzed in this study. 48.3% of respondents declared that they trusted pharmaceutical companies, while 35.5% declared distrust. Being female (p = 0.042), inactive in the employment market(p = 0.007), and not-knowing the name of one's disease(p = 0.010) are factors related to declared distrust. Distrust-group membership is associated with unwillingness to participate in certain categories of trials such as pre-marketing and industry-sponsored trials. CONCLUSION Distrust in pharmaceutical companies is associated with a specific patient profile and with refusal to participate in certain subcategories of trials. This potential recruitment bias may explain the under-representation of certain categories of patients such as women in pre-marketing drug trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurie Pahus
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, Hôpital NORD, CIC 9502, Clinique des bronches allergies et sommeil, Chemin des Bourrely, 13015, Marseille, France.
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, EFS, ADES, Marseille, France.
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM U1263, INRA 1260 (C2VN), Marseille, France.
| | - Carey Meredith Suehs
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Laurence Halimi
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Arnaud Bourdin
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- PhyMedExp, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Association pour l'Assistance et la Réhabilitation à Domicile (APARD), Montpellier, France
| | - Pascal Chanez
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, Hôpital NORD, CIC 9502, Clinique des bronches allergies et sommeil, Chemin des Bourrely, 13015, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM U1263, INRA 1260 (C2VN), Marseille, France
| | - Dany Jaffuel
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Association pour l'Assistance et la Réhabilitation à Domicile (APARD), Montpellier, France
- Polyclinique Saint-Privat, Maladies Respiratoires et Troubles Respiratoires du Sommeil, Boujan sur Libron, France
| | | | - Anne-Sophie Gamez
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Isabelle Vachier
- Department of Respiratory Diseases, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Nicolas Molinari
- IMAG, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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Park JH, Lee JS, Koo H, Kim JE, Ahn JH, Ryu MH, Park SR, Yoon SK, Lee JC, Hong YS, Kim SY, Kim KP, Yoo CH, Hong JY, Lee JL, Jung KH, Rhyoo BY, Kim TW. How Cancer Patients Perceive Clinical Trials (CTs) in the Era of CTs: Current Perception and Its Differences Between Common and Rare Cancers. JOURNAL OF CANCER EDUCATION : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR CANCER EDUCATION 2020; 35:545-556. [PMID: 30820925 DOI: 10.1007/s13187-019-01494-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Perception has recently been highlighted as a critical determinant for participation in clinical trials (CTs) among cancer patients. We evaluated cancer patients' current perceptions of CTs using the PARTAKE questionnaires, focusing on differences between patients with common and rare cancers. From November 2015 to May 2017, we prospectively surveyed patients who had received anti-cancer treatment at Asan Medical Center. Among 333 respondents, 70.9% had common and 29.1% had rare cancers. In the cohort, 87.7% of patients with common cancers and 75.3% of patients with rare cancers answered that they heard of and knew about CTs. However, willingness to participate in CTs was expressed only in approximately 56% of patients, although it was significantly associated with awareness and perception. Surprisingly, patients with rare cancers when compared with patients with common cancers showed significantly lower levels of awareness and perception (64.2% vs 79.9%, p = 0.003 and 77.3% vs 91.9%, p < 0.001), and consequently less willingness to participate in CTs (47.4% vs 58.9%, p = 0.06). In addition, cancer patients still harbored fear and concerns about safety and reward of CTs, and demonstrated substantial lack of knowledge about the voluntary nature of CTs, which was more obvious in patients with rare cancers. We identified relatively modest willingness of cancer patients to participate in CTs regardless of generally favorable perception. These findings are highlighted by the more negative perception of CTs among patients with rare cancers relative to those with common cancers. Further education and encouragement by research and public entities seem essential to improve motivation of CTs in cancer patients beyond good perception, especially for patients with rare cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hyun Park
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
- Department of Hemato-oncology, Konkuk Medical Center, University of Konkuk College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Ji Sung Lee
- Clinical Research Center, Asan Institute of Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - HaYeong Koo
- Clinical Research Center, Asan Institute of Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
- Korea Clinical Trials Global Initiative, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jeong Eun Kim
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Jin-Hee Ahn
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Min-Hee Ryu
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Sook-Ryun Park
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Shin-Kyo Yoon
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Jae Cheol Lee
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Yong-Sang Hong
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Sun Young Kim
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Kyo-Pyo Kim
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Chang-Hoon Yoo
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Jung Yong Hong
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Jae Lyun Lee
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Kyung Hae Jung
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Baek-Yeol Rhyoo
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Tae Won Kim
- Departments of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, 88 Olympic-ro 43-gil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, 05505, South Korea.
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Al-Rawashdeh N, Damsees R, Al-Jeraisy M, Al Qasim E, Deeb AM. Knowledge of and attitudes toward clinical trials in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e031305. [PMID: 31641002 PMCID: PMC6830621 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-031305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Clinical trials (CTs) are considered an important method for developing new treatments and providing access to potentially effective drugs that are still under investigation. Measuring the public's knowledge of and attitudes toward CTs is important for assessing their readiness for and acceptance of human drug testing, which has previously not been assessed in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The objective of this study is to explore the Saudi public's knowledge of and attitudes toward CTs as well as participation in trials to test new or approved drugs. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING The 2016 Al Jenadriyah cultural/heritage festival in Riyadh, KSA. PARTICIPANTS Participating booths and exhibition halls, as well as festival visitors, were approached to participate in the study. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES Knowledge of and attitudes toward CTs. RESULTS The final number of participants was 938. The responses were converted to a percentage mean score (out of 100) for each knowledge-related response and attitude. The total mean knowledge score was 56.8±24.8 and the attitude-related score was 61.5±28.0. Although most of the participants supported testing approved or off-label and new drugs on adult and paediatric patients, only a third (30.5%) agreed that new drugs could be tested on healthy volunteers. The results indicated that gender, educational level, income, medical background, age and health insurance were independently associated with the level of knowledge of CTs. In terms of attitudes toward CTs, the factors that were independently associated were gender, educational level and medical background. CONCLUSIONS The Saudi public has a low level of knowledge and a moderately positive attitude toward CTs. There is a moderate positive correlation between the two factors such that as knowledge of CTs increases, the Saudi public will hold more positive attitudes toward CTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nedal Al-Rawashdeh
- Research Office, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- The Office of Scientific Affairs and Research, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rana Damsees
- Research Office, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- The Office of Scientific Affairs and Research, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman, Jordan
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Majed Al-Jeraisy
- Research Office, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eman Al Qasim
- Research Office, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad M Deeb
- Research Office, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
- Ministry of the National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Šolić I, Stipčić A, Pavličević I, Marušić A. Transparency and public accessibility of clinical trial information in Croatia: how it affects patient participation in clinical trials. Biochem Med (Zagreb) 2017; 27:259-269. [PMID: 28694716 PMCID: PMC5493165 DOI: 10.11613/bm.2017.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Despite increased visibility of clinical trials through international trial registries, patients often remain uninformed of their existence, especially if they do not have access to adequate information about clinical research, including the language of the information. The aim of this study was to describe the context for transparency of clinical trials in Croatia in relation to countries in Central and Eastern Europe, and to assess how informed Croatian patients are about clinical trials and their accessibility. Materials and methods We assessed the transparency of clinical trials from the data available in the public domain. We also conducted an anonymous survey on a convenience sample of 257 patients visiting two family medicine offices or an oncology department in south Croatia, and members of national patients’ associations. Results Despite legal provisions for transparency of clinical trials in Croatia, they are still not sufficiently visible in the public domain. Among countries from Central and Eastern Europe, Croatia has the fewest number of registered trials in the EU Clinical Trials Registry. 66% of the patients in the survey were aware of the existence of clinical trials but only 15% were informed about possibilities of participating in a trial. Although 58% of the respondents were willing to try new treatments, only 6% actually participated in a clinical trial. Only 2% of the respondents were aware of publicly available trial registries. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that there is low transparency of clinical trials in Croatia, and that Croatian patients are not fully aware of clinical trials and the possibilities of participating in them, despite reported availability of Internet resources and good communication with their physicians. There is a need for active policy measures to increase the awareness of and access to clinical trials to patients in Croatia, particularly in their own language.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Šolić
- Medical student, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
| | - Ana Stipčić
- Department of Health Studies, University of Split, Split, Croatia
| | - Ivančica Pavličević
- Department of Family Medicine, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia
| | - Ana Marušić
- Department of Research in Biomedicine and Health, University of Split School of Medicine, Split, Croatia.,Cochrane Croatia
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