--- title: "Internet pt dec spt: RCT for prostate cancer screening. | Sutter Health" description: "Public Web sites about prostate cancer provide less effective decision support than a specially designed Internet decision aid." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/internet-pt-dec-spt-rct-prostate-cancer-screening-1055312532" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Internet pt dec spt: RCT for prostate cancer screening. # Internet patient decision support: a randomized controlled trial comparing alternative approaches for men considering prostate cancer screening. Frosch DL, Bhatnagar V, Tally S, Hamori CJ, & Kaplan RM. _Arch Intern Med. 168(4):363-9. doi: 10.1001/archinternmed.2007.111._ 2008-02-25 ## Abstract BACKGROUND: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of patient decision support Web sites on decision quality for men considering prostate cancer screening. METHODS: Men older than 50 years (N = 611) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 Internet conditions: traditional didactic decision aid providing information about prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening options and outcomes; chronic disease trajectory model for prostate cancer followed by a time-trade-off exercise; both the didactic decision aid and the chronic disease trajectory model; or links to public prostate cancer-specific Web sites from credible sources (control condition). Participants completed questionnaires at baseline and after their physical examination. Primary outcome measures were PSA test choice, prostate cancer treatment preferences, knowledge and concern about prostate cancer, and decisional conflict. RESULTS: Participants assigned to view public Web sites were less likely to review information (116 participants \[76.8%\] reviewed) than those assigned to experimental groups (399 \[86.7%\] reviewed; P = .004). Greater reductions in PSA screening from pretest to posttest were observed among participants assigned to the traditional decision aid (-9.1%) or chronic disease trajectory model (-8.7%), compared with participants assigned to the combination (-5.3%) or control (-3.3%) groups (P = .047). Preferences for watchful waiting increased significantly in all 4 groups (baseline, 219 \[35.8%\]; follow-up, 303 \[66.2%\]; P < .001). Knowledge scores were lowest for those assigned to public Web sites (mean \[SD\] score, 7.49 \[0.19\] of questions correct) and highest for the traditional decision aid (8.65 \[0.18\] of questions correct; P = .005). CONCLUSION: Public Web sites about prostate cancer provide less effective decision support than a specially designed Internet decision aid. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18299490) ## Research topics - [All Cancer](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22All+Cancer%5C%22%22) - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Men's Health](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Men%27s+Health%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Predicting prostate cancer treatment choices: The role of numeracy, time discounting, and risk attitudes.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/predicting-prostate-cancer-treatment-choices-1055312355) López-Pérez B, Barnes A, Frosch DL, Hanoch Y. J Health Psychol. 22(6):788-797. doi: 10.1177/1359105315615931. Epub 2015 Nov 26. 2017 May 01 - Publication ### [Who and when should we screen for prostate cancer? Interviews with key opinion leaders.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/who-when-prostate-cancer-screen-kol-interviews-1055312493) Carlsson S, Leapman M, Carroll P, Schröder F, Albertsen PC, Ilic D, Barry M, Frosch DL, Vickers A. BMC Med. 13:288. doi: 10.1186/s12916-015-0526-x. 2015 Nov 27 - Publication ### [Conducting implementation research in community-based primary care: a qualitative study on integrating patient decision support interventions for cancer screening into routine practice.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/integrate-cancer-screen-pt-decision-spt-1055312534) Frosch DL, Singer KJ, Timmermans S. Health Expect. 14 suppl 1:73-84. doi: 10.1111/j.1369-7625.2009.00579.x. 2011 Mar 01 - Publication ### [Evolving goals of care discussions as described in interviews with individuals with advanced cancer and oncology and palliative care teams.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/goals-of-care-discussions-in-advanced-cancer-1055312861) Dillon EC, Meehan A, Nasrallah C, Lai S, Colocci N, Luft H. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 1049909120969202. doi: 10.1177/1049909120969202. Online ahead of print. 2020 Oct 28 - Publication ### [In absentia: an exploratory study of how patients are considered in multidisciplinary cancer team meetings.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/pt-consideration-multidisciplin-cancer-team-mtgs-1055312430) Hahlweg P, Hoffmann J, Härter M, Frosch DL, Elwyn G, Scholl I. PLoS One. 10(10):e0139921. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0139921. eCollection 2015. 2015 Oct 06 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/internet-pt-dec-spt-rct-prostate-cancer-screening-1055312532#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Internet pt dec spt: RCT for prostate cancer screening."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/internet-pt-dec-spt-rct-prostate-cancer-screening-1055312532#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Internet patient decision support: a randomized controlled trial comparing alternative approaches for men considering prostate cancer screening.","headline":"Internet pt dec spt: RCT for prostate cancer screening.","abstract":"BACKGROUND: We conducted a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of patient decision support Web sites on decision quality for men considering prostate cancer screening. METHODS: Men older than 50 years (N = 611) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 Internet conditions: traditional didactic decision aid providing information about prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening options and outcomes; chronic disease trajectory model for prostate cancer followed by a time-trade-off exercise; both the didactic decision aid and the chronic disease trajectory model; or links to public prostate cancer-specific Web sites from credible sources (control condition). Participants completed questionnaires at baseline and after their physical examination. Primary outcome measures were PSA test choice, prostate cancer treatment preferences, knowledge and concern about prostate cancer, and decisional conflict. RESULTS: Participants assigned to view public Web sites were less likely to review information (116 participants [76.8%] reviewed) than those assigned to experimental groups (399 [86.7%] reviewed; P = .004). Greater reductions in PSA screening from pretest to posttest were observed among participants assigned to the traditional decision aid (-9.1%) or chronic disease trajectory model (-8.7%), compared with participants assigned to the combination (-5.3%) or control (-3.3%) groups (P = .047). Preferences for watchful waiting increased significantly in all 4 groups (baseline, 219 [35.8%]; follow-up, 303 [66.2%]; P \u003c .001). Knowledge scores were lowest for those assigned to public Web sites (mean [SD] score, 7.49 [0.19] of questions correct) and highest for the traditional decision aid (8.65 [0.18] of questions correct; P = .005). CONCLUSION: Public Web sites about prostate cancer provide less effective decision support than a specially designed Internet decision aid.","description":"Public Web sites about prostate cancer provide less effective decision support than a specially designed Internet decision aid.","keywords":["All Cancer","Disease Management","Men's Health"],"datePublished":"2008-02-25","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/internet-pt-dec-spt-rct-prostate-cancer-screening-1055312532","inLanguage":"en-US","identifier":[{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"PMID","value":"18299490"},{"@type":"PropertyValue","propertyID":"DOI","value":"10.1001/archinternmed.2007.111"}],"sameAs":["https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18299490/","https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2007.111"],"isPartOf":{"@type":"Periodical","name":"Arch Intern Med"},"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Frosch DL"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Bhatnagar V"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Tally S"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Hamori CJ"},{"@type":"Person","name":"Kaplan RM"}],"sourceOrganization":{"@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Palo Alto Medical Foundation Research Institute"},"about":[{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"All Cancer","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22All+Cancer%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Disease Management","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Disease+Management%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"},{"@type":"DefinedTerm","name":"Men's Health","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?facets=%5B%7B%22i%22%3A%22c_researchTopics.name%22%2C%22v%22%3A%5B%22Men%27s+Health%22%5D%7D%5D&verticalKey=research_publication"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/internet-pt-dec-spt-rct-prostate-cancer-screening-1055312532","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/internet-pt-dec-spt-rct-prostate-cancer-screening-1055312532#breadcrumblist"}}} ```