Recruitment and Retention of Women with Advanced Breast Cancer in a Reflexology Trial
Author Information
Author(s): Alla Sikorskii, Gwen K. Wyatt, Azfar-e-Alam Siddiqi, Deimante Tamkus
Primary Institution: Michigan State University
Hypothesis
What are the most frequent reasons for refusal to participate in a CAM RCT of reflexology?
Conclusion
Women with advanced breast cancer were likely to enter the trial, with about 70% of those approached agreeing to participate.
Supporting Evidence
- More than 80% of women with breast cancer report using CAM for symptom management.
- Less than 12% of women who refused to participate cited being too sick or overwhelmed.
- Black women had a significantly higher early dropout rate compared to other women.
Takeaway
This study looked at why women with advanced breast cancer might not want to join a trial for reflexology, and found that many were not too sick but simply not interested in research.
Methodology
The study involved a randomized clinical trial with women diagnosed with advanced breast cancer, assessing reasons for refusal and dropout rates.
Potential Biases
The study may have bias due to the higher dropout rate among black women compared to other racial groups.
Limitations
The study did not collect data on socioeconomic status, prior CAM use, and social support for women who dropped out before the baseline interview.
Participant Demographics
Women aged 21 and older with stage III or IV breast cancer, primarily white with some black and other ethnicities.
Statistical Information
P-Value
.01
Statistical Significance
p=0.01
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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