CALS Patient Activated Learning System (PALS)

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The overall goal in this line of inquiry is to test whether the Patient Activated Learning System (PALS) is effective in reducing disparities in access to reliable, easily understood health information, and whether this increased understanding has downstream consequences such as increases in trust in the medical system and self-management behaviors.

Detailed Description
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Participants will view, in randomized order, PALS or WebMD content on hypertension and on high cholesterol. This study will test knowledge uptake across topics as well as attitudes toward and trust in the information and information providers.

Official Title
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Can the Digital Patient Activated Learning System Increase Racial Minority Engagement With Health Information? A Multi-Site Pilot Examination in New York State

Conditions
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Communication, Trust, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: The Patient Activated Learning System (PALS)
* Other: WebMD


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patient ≥ 18 years of age. Self-reported hypertension diagnosis. English speaking Passing the cognition screener Able to read in English Patient at designated recruitment clinics Exclusion Criteria: Non-English speakers Not having self-identified as having hypertension Inability to read in English Being younger than 18 Not passing the screener Not being a patient on the participating clinics

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: Arm 1 - Educational Platform, PALS<br>The Patient Activated Learning System is a free, health education platform written bu trusted MDs. | Other: The Patient Activated Learning System (PALS)<br>* Randomization into PALS arm.<br>|
| Other: Arm 2 - WebMD<br>WebMD is a widely used educational platform for health information. | Other: WebMD<br>* Randomization into WebMD arm.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Knowledge | as measured by assessment questions on the nutrition information provided | Day 1, Immediately after reading article | 
| Trust in eHealth | as measured by e-Health Impact Questionnaire by Kelly et al. on a 5-point likert scale where one is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree | Day 1, Immediately after reading article | 
| E-health usability | as measured by e-Health Impact Questionnaire scale by Harris et al. on a 5-point likert scale where one is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree | Day 1, Immediately after reading article | 
| Physician trust | as measured by assessment questions from Wake Forest Physician Trust Scale on a 5-point likert scale where one is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree | Day 1, Immediately after reading article |