Summaries of Independent Scientist (K) Awards

Crouch, Michael

Institution: Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
Grant Title: Effect of Informed Consent on Compliance: Statin Therapy
Grant Number: K08 HS13332
Duration: 3 years (2003-2006)
Total Award: $118,750

Project Description: The project has two main goals:

1. To ascertain the utility of informed consent for increasing compliance with statin therapy (compared to usual care).
2. To determine the effects of informed consent on patients' apprehension about experiencing adverse side effects from statin therapy at moderate or high-risk for acute myocardial infarction.

A subsample with a 10 percent subsample will use individual interviewing, review of audiotapes of the initial study visit with the patient's primary care provider, and qualitative data analysis techniques to probe patients' thoughts and feelings during the visit.

Career Goals: Dr. Crouch is a family physician, with over 20 years of experience in academic family medicine. His first career goal is to complete the ongoing shift in his professional identity from clinician-educator to researcher-clinician-educator and make research his primary focus. His long-term research clinical interests include cholesterol and heart disease prevention, patient education for chronic illness, and medical ethics. He plans on becoming an R01-funded clinical investigator.

Progress to Date: Forty-three patients have been randomized in a preliminary study of the effects of the candidate's statin decision aid on patients' apprehension of statin side effects and their decisions to begin and continue taking statin medication.

Future Plans: The grantee will interview health care providers in order to determine how they determine which patients need statin therapy. A cognitive component will be added to the interview.  Two manuscripts are being prepared for submission.

Highlights and Specific Accomplishments:

• Associate Professor, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
• Preliminary study data presented at the October 2003 annual meeting of the North American Primary Care Research Group, and the May 2004 annual meeting of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine.
• Developed a Coronary heart disease (CHD) risk estimator in Excel® spreadsheet that is linked to a risk estimate communication sheet with graphic risk display.

K-Generated Publications: None thus far.
AHRQ Research Portfolios: Quality and Patient Safety: Care Management: Training.
AHRQ Goals: Safety and Quality

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