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| Sponsored by: |
National Library of Medicine (NLM) |
|---|---|
| Information provided by: | National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) |
| ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00110539 |
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of four different strategies designed to improve clinicians’ knowledge about herbs and dietary supplements. This study will also increase their confidence in their ability to answer patient questions about these topics.
Study hypotheses: 1) Delivery of modules over 10 weeks will lead to better educational outcomes than delivery of modules at one time. 2) The method of module delivery that directly lists the modules in an email will be associated with greater improvements in knowledge, confidence, and communication skills and greater satisfaction with the overall curriculum than methods that involve the delivery of only links to the modules in an email. 3) Active participation in a moderated mailing list will enhance outcomes and satisfaction with the curriculum more than non-participation or passive participation (reading the messages of others). 4) More positive attitudes toward the use of and greater use of computer and Internet technologies at baseline will be associated with more active participation in the mailing list; greater use of the modules delivered through links; greater improvements in knowledge, confidence, and communication; and more positive attitudes about the curriculum following participation in the study.
| Condition | Intervention |
|---|---|
|
Healthy |
Behavioral: Complementary and alternative medicine education |
| Study Type: | Interventional |
| Study Design: | Educational/Counseling/Training, Randomized, Double-Blind, Active Control, Parallel Assignment, Efficacy Study |
| Official Title: | Internet-Based Curriculum About Herbs and Dietary Supplements |
| Estimated Enrollment: | 1500 |
| Study Start Date: | February 2004 |
| Estimated Study Completion Date: | December 2004 |
As herbal medicine use becomes more popular, health care providers may find that patients are asking questions about the risks and benefits of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) more frequently. It is important that providers have some knowledge about these therapies and are familiar with resources to which they can refer patients. This study will compare the effectiveness of four strategies used to deliver educational modules that can increase health care providers' knowledge about herbal medicine and dietary supplements.
This study will last about 10 weeks and will enroll a variety of health care providers, including physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, dietitians, and nurses. At study entry, participants will be stratified by provider type. Participants will then be randomly assigned to 1 of 4 educational delivery strategies: delivery of educational modules all at one time directly through email, delivery of modules over 10 weeks directly through email, delivery of modules through an email message with a link to an Internet site containing all modules, or delivery of multiple emails over 10 weeks with links to an Internet site containing all modules.
Each module will begin with a brief clinical scenario followed by questions to assess knowledge, confidence about where to locate information, and the level of communication that providers have engaged in with their patients. Participants will complete questionnaires at study entry and at Week 10. The questionnaires will assess the use of and attitudes toward Internet technology, motivation for participating in the course, and knowledge, attitudes, and communication practices related to the clinical use of herbs and dietary supplements. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a moderated mailing list where they can discuss CAM-related topics with other providers and read the discussions of others. In addition, after completing the curriculum, participants will complete questionnaires about their use of and attitudes toward the intervention they received in the study.
Eligibility| Genders Eligible for Study: | Both |
| Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | Yes |
Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Contacts and Locations| United States, North Carolina | |
| Northwest Area Health Education Center | |
| Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27157 | |
| Principal Investigator: | Kathi Kemper, MD | Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center |
More Information
| Study ID Numbers: | R01 LM007709 |
| Study First Received: | May 10, 2005 |
| Last Updated: | August 2, 2006 |
| ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT00110539 |
| Health Authority: | United States: Federal Government |
|
Medicine, Herbal Dietary Supplements Complementary and Alternative Medicine Physicians |
|
Healthy Marijuana Abuse |
