Patient attitudes toward physician consent in epidemiologic research.

Abstract

Attitudes of patients toward the necessity of physician consent in epidemiologic studies were assessed. Questionnaires were mailed to women with breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers who had previously participated in a personal interview study (N=692). Of respondents (N=514), only 2 per cent would have preferred their physician to have withheld approval, and half considered physician permission necessary. Thirty-five per cent reported that their doctor talked to them about the study prior to the interview. Implications of including physician consent in study protocols are discussed.

Patient Perspectives on Research Recruitment Through Cancer Registries

“…Even among patients who wanted their physician involved, most indicated a preference for physician notification over the more restrictive physician permission approach. These findings are consistent with previous studies of patients' attitudes toward physician permission in observational epidemiologic research, which suggested that research participants were generally glad their physician allowed researchers to contact them and that many would have agreed to take part without prior physician permission [6,9,10].…”

“…Potential advantages of the 'physician-asgatekeeper' role are that the physician can help manage privacy concerns and exclude at the outset patients who are deceased, too ill or emotionally fragile, or otherwise ineligible. Physician involvement might also facilitate researchers' relationships with clinicians, but it can be time-consuming, reduce study participation, and potentially introduce bias [6][7][8].…”

The Effect of Physician Permission Versus Notification on Research Recruitment through Cancer Registries (United States)

“…When the Prostate Study was excluded, Patient Cooperation was actually higher under physician notification. These findings are consistent with previous studies of patients' attitudes toward physician permission in observational epidemiologic research, which suggested that research participants were generally glad their physician allowed researchers to contact them and that many would have agreed to take part without prior physician permission [13][14][15].…”

“…In general, physician involvement may facilitate relationships between physicians and researchers, and may also be a positive influence with some patients [13,14]. However, other patients may view the 'physician-as-gatekeeper' role as paternalistic, and the established physician-patient relationship assumed as an advantage of this role does not always exist.…”

Attitudes and impressions of participants in a study of the causes of childhood cancer

“…It has been an on-going concern of researchers that in-depth questioning (whether by self-administered questionnaire or face-toface interview) of individuals faced with certain illnesses, may cause distress (Carter and Deyo, 1981;Boring et al, 1984;Runeson and Beskow, 1991). The problem may be particularly acute when parents of children with potentially fatal diseases are asked questions which relate to their lifestyle such as smoking and alcohol intake.…”