Links between patients' perception of research activities and hospitals' attractiveness

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Julien Mancini
Claire Julian-Reynier
Isabelle Pellegrini
Norbert Vey
Lise-Marie Billard-Daufresne
Dominique Genre
Anthony Gonçalves
Patrice Viens
Christian Chabannon

Abstract

Rationale, aims and objectives: The possibility of having access to clinical trials and investigational drugs and procedures may be regarded by patients as an attractive opportunity. However, medical research can also be negatively perceived by patients who are afraid of being used for experimental purposes. The objective of this study was therefore to investigate patients’ perception of the research activities conducted in a comprehensive cancer centre and their relation with hospital attractiveness.Method: In depth interviews (n=19) were conducted before a postal survey (n=745) on adult patients recently treated for colorectal or breast cancer or a haematological malignancy at a French regional comprehensive cancer centre.Results: Among 574 patients (response rate = 77.0%), 51.2% declared that their knowledge of research activities conducted at this hospital influenced their decision to attend this institution. Most of the patients (85.7%) said they would recommend the hospital to friends and relatives. This response was more frequent among patients (74.7%) who associated research activities with high quality care (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] = 2.41, 95% Confidence Interval = 1.27 to 4.56) and less frequent among those (29.6%) who said they had never or not often enough been asked to participate in research (adjOR = 0.51, 95% CI= 0.28 to 0.96), whatever their socio-demographics, cancer characteristics, previous clinical trial participation and satisfaction with care.Conclusion: Developing visible, understandable research activities was positively perceived by patients and increased hospitals’ attractiveness.

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Regular Articles

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