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Improving recruitment and retention of adolescents and young adults with cancer in randomized controlled clinical trials

  • Sharron L. Docherty EMAIL logo , Stacey Crane , Joan E. Haase and Sheri L. Robb

Abstract

Participation of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with cancer in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is necessary to advance treatments and psychosocial programs. Exploring AYAs experiences in an RCT will inform strategies to support recruitment and retention. A qualitative design was used to study the experiences of 13 AYAs in the Stories and Music for Adolescent and Young Adult Resilience during Transplant I (SMART I) trial. Key themes included: Weighing the Pros and Cons; Randomization Preferences; Completing Measures; and Worthwhile Experience. The experiences of AYAs during RCTs can bring insights that inform the design and management of AYA trials. Strategies include improving assent/consent processes, design of electronic interfaces and encouraging researcher flexibility.

Award Identifier / Grant number: R01 NR008583

Award Identifier / Grant number: U10 CA098543

Funding statement: Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institutes of Nursing Research (Funder Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000056, R01 NR008583), the National Cancer Institute (Funder Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000054, U10 CA098543), and the second author’s National Cancer Institute career development award (T32 CA117865). Content is the authors sole responsibility and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

  1. Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01556256.

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Received: 2018-09-16
Accepted: 2018-11-29
Published Online: 2019-04-11

©2019 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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