Are Doctors Familiar With the Test Characteristics of Lung Cancer Screening?

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This study evaluates whether doctors are familiar with the statistical background of lung cancer screening.

Detailed Description
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Background: Screening with low-dose CT scan can prevent three deaths due to lung cancer among 1000 high-risk individuals. However, false-positive results and radiation exposure are relevant disadvantages deserving accurate consideration. Candidates for screening can only make an autonomous decision if doctors inform them correctly about the pros and cons of the method. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate, whether doctors understand the test characteristics of lung cancer screening. Methods: In a randomized trial, 556 doctors (members of the Austrian Respiratory Society) will be invited to answer questions regarding lung cancer screening based on online case vignettes. Half of the participants will be randomized to the group 'with data' and will receive the correct solutions in advance. The group 'without data' will have to rely on prior knowledge or estimate. Primary endpoint will be the between-groups difference in the estimated number of deaths preventable by screening. Secondary endpoints will be the between-groups differences in prevalence of lung cancer, prevalence of suspicious results, sensitivity, specificity, positive-predictive value, and false negative rate. Estimations will also be compared to actual values from the literature.

Official Title
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Are Doctors Familiar With the Test Characteristics of Lung Cancer Screening?

Conditions
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Information About the Knowledge on the Statistical Background of Lung Cancer Screening of Doctors

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: With Data


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Doctors, who were in training or had a completed specialization training in: Pneumonology Internal Medicine Surgery or Radiology Exclusion Criteria: Doctors, with a specialized training in ENT Pediatrics Pathology and doctors who had no e-mail address were excluded.
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 |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: With Data<br>Participants received statistical data about lung cancer screening | Other: With Data<br>* The participants received statistical data about lung cancer screening in order to help them answer the questionaire<br>|
| No Intervention: Without Data<br>Participants had no statistical data on lung cancer screening | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Between-groups difference in the estimated reduction of mortality due to lung cancer screening | Participants had 14 days to complete the survey | 14 days | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Between-groups difference prevalence of lung cancer | Participants had 14 days to complete the survey | 14 days | 
| Between-groups difference in sensitivity of lung cancer screening | Participants had 14 days to complete the survey | 14 days | 
| Between-groups difference in the frequency of a positive test result | Participants had 14 days to complete the survey | 14 days | 
| Between-groups difference in specificity of lung cancer screening | Participants had 14 days to complete the survey | 14 days | 
| Between-groups difference in positive predictive value of lung cancer screening | Participants had 14 days to complete the survey | 14 days | 
| Between-groups difference in the false negative rate of lung cancer screening | Participants had 14 days to complete the survey | 14 days | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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lung cancer screening, statistical background