SBIR-STTR Award

Smoking, poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle are among the chief preventable causes of cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States. Prior research has shown that physician counseling, prevention office systems, and computer-tailored health messages can all have an impact on common cancer risk behaviors (smoking, physical inactivity, high dietary fat). A critical question yet to be examined regarding the potential public health impact of computer technology is: If the full impact of computer technology is to be realized to reduce the national burden of cancer, then several challenges remain to be addressed including: Can interactive multimedia be integrated into the larger health care delivery system and then into the development and testing of a computerized set of tools that will be able to deliver theory-and evidence-based tailored messages to improve the dietary, physical activity and smoking patterns of low-income patients in a primary care setting and to improve physician counseling for these behaviors. In the R25 portion of the project, we will bring together investigators with expertise in physician counseling and in creating tailored patient education materials for smoking cessation, physical activity and nutrition, and in applying technology to patient and physician education. The investigators will employ focus groups and in-depth interview methods with all stakeholders involved in the proposed system in addition to pilot tests of the intervention materials and instruments. Information gained from the above formative testing will enable the investigators to create a database of text and graphic messages that will serve as the "paper product" that will be translated to computer form and evaluated in the R44 portion of this project.

Thesaurus Terms:
cancer prevention, educational resource design /development, health behavior, neoplasm /cancer education body physical activity, computer assisted instruction, dietary lipid, interactive multimedia, smoking cessation behavioral /social science research tag, clinical research, human subject, nutrition related tag

The major goals of this revised, SBIR Phase II application for the combined R25/R44 mechanism to complete development of a multi-media, cancer risk behavior modification intervention and to conduct a randomized controlled trial with low income patients and their primary care physicians to assess its impact. The prototype system of tools created in the Phase I is based on the "paper product" developed in the R25. In Phase II we will refine and complete development of the prototype tool created in Phase I. Specific aims in Phase II are to : (1) produce the functional beta system of tools according to the functional and technical specifications created in Phase I; (2) test the impact of the system of tools in a randomized controlled clinical trial on (a) the primary outcome for which the study is statistically powered, i.e., physical activity; (b) outcomes for diet and smoking patterns; (c) secondary outcomes including stages of change and the quantity and quality of counseling about cancer risk factor reduction provided by health care providers to their patients who have a scheduled return visit within the 3-month study period; (3) assess the degree to which the system of tools was used by patients and providers, and to assess ratings of satisfaction and perceived value by the various stakeholders (i.e., patients, physicians, and potential purchasers); (4) refine and update the preliminary Product Development Plan, and (5) incorporate the completed product into Abacus Technologies' suite of Technology Solutions products and commence product distribution in Phase III.

Thesaurus Terms:
behavior modification, cancer prevention, cancer risk, counseling, educational resource design /development, health behavior, human therapy evaluation, interactive multimedia, neoplasm /cancer education body physical activity, clinical trial, computer assisted instruction, dietary lipid, education evaluation /planning, low income, smoking cessation behavioral /social science research tag, clinical research, human subject, nutrition related tag, patient oriented research