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CompletedNCT00774254Updated Oct 1, 2024

Reactions to Disease Risk Information

An interventional study of A and B in Cancer, sponsored by National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 25 Years to 40 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-10-01.

Sponsored by National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) · Not applicable, Interventional, and Health services research

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
132
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
25 Years to 40 Years
Sex
All
01

Study summary

This study is part of an effort to learn about interactions between doctors and patients. The study will use virtual reality technology to examine how patients and doctors interact when they discuss disease risks.

Men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 who have access to the Internet and were born and raised in the United States may be eligible for this study. Participants will be recruited from the Washington D.C. area.

Participants undergo the following procedures:

  • Complete an online questionnaire about their health-related background, family health history, cancer risk perceptions, and demographic information (e.g., age, marital status, education, etc.).
  • Participate in activities in a virtual reality environment in which they interact with a virtual doctor in a virtual clinical scenario. For this experiment, participants wear a head-mounted display that allows them to see the virtual world images.
  • Fill out a second questionnaire after completing the virtual reality activities. This questionnaire includes information on the participants virtual reality experience, the information provided in the experience, and questions about themselves and their background.
Read the detailed description

This study will investigate interactions between doctors and patients regarding risks of common, complex diseases using virtual reality technology.

Men and women between the ages of 25 and 40 who have access to the Internet and were born and raised in the United States may be eligible for this study. Participants will be recruited from the Washington D.C. area.

Study subjects complete two phases. The first phase is to complete an online questionnaire about their heath-related background, family health history, cancer risk perceptions, and demographic information using a secure survey website. The second phase involves interacting with a virtual doctor in a virtual environment clinical scenario, followed by completion of a second questionnaire. While in the virtual environment, participants wear a head-mounted video unit that allows them to see elements of the environment. The activities in the virtual environment take about 15 minutes. The total time for the study is about 60 minutes.

02

Conditions studied

  • Cancer

Keywords

  • Virtual Reality Technology
  • Communication
  • Doctor-Patient Communication
03

In context

Neoplasms

9,610 studies on the registry are indexed under Neoplasms; 2,508 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 132 is above the median of 50 across 7,429 interventional studies indexed under Neoplasms.

Browse Neoplasms studies →

Lead sponsor

National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) is the lead sponsor of 203 studies on the registry; 32 are open to participants now.

Browse National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) studies →

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
25 Years to 40 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Self-reported ability to speak, read, and write in English.
  • Self identifying as African-American or Black
  • Having been born and raised in the U.S.
  • Not having been diagnosed with any of the diseases used in the experiment.
  • Being between 25 and 40 years of age.
  • Having access to the Internet.
  • Both men and women will be included in the study.

Exclusion criteria

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

  • Individuals below the age of 25 because they might not yet have completed their education and those above the age of 40 because they might have less familiarity with interactive technologies than younger individuals.
  • Because the study will utilize virtual reality technology, individuals who are particularly susceptible to motion sickness will be excluded.
  • All individuals with epilepsy, low vision, hearing problems, and vestibular disorders (e.g., vertigo) will be excluded from the study for safety reasons.
  • We will re-screen for safety exclusion criteria when participants arrive to participate in the in-person portion of the study.
05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Health services research
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
132 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    A

    Behavioral: A · Behavioral: B

Interventions

  • BehavioralA

    Intervention

  • BehavioralB

    Intervention

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Risk Perception

    The objective of the proposed study is to examine a cognitive bias known as anchoring and adjustment that may occur during provider-patient interactions, such as during provision of risk information for common, complex diseases that have both genetic and behavioralcomponents.

    Time frame: ongoing

07

Study locations

1 site
  • National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
    Bethesda, Maryland 20892, United States
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Loomis JM, Blascovich JJ, Beall AC. Immersive virtual environment technology as a basic research tool in psychology. Behav Res Methods Instrum Comput. 1999 Nov;31(4):557-64. doi: 10.3758/bf03200735. PubMed 10633974 ↗
  • Bailenson JN, Blascovich J, Beall AC, Loomis JM. Interpersonal distance in immersive virtual environments. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 2003 Jul;29(7):819-33. doi: 10.1177/0146167203029007002. PubMed 15018671 ↗
  • Baron RM, Kenny DA. The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1986 Dec;51(6):1173-82. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.51.6.1173. PubMed 3806354 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Oct 1, 2024, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT00774254
Lead sponsor
National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Oct 17, 2008
Start date
Jun 16, 2009
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2010
Completion
Sep 30, 2010
Last update
Oct 1, 2024

Study contacts

Susan Persky, Ph.D.
principal investigator · National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI)

Oversight

FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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