Results of a pilot test of effects of an online resource on lay audience understanding of media reports on breast cancer research

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to assess the effects of eXamining Relevance of Articles to Young Survivors (XRAYS), an online resource that provides brief articles discussing recent research relevant to young women with or at risk for breast cancer, on users’ knowledge about information covered in media reports. An evaluator also assessed the degree to which XRAYS facilitated awareness of recent research findings and how users recommended improving the resource. Design: Participants were randomly assigned to an intervention condition, whose members read original news reports and the corresponding XRAYS review or to a control condition, whose members read only original news reports. Participants also discussed XRAYS’ utility and cultural appropriateness. Setting: Data were collected in a meeting room at a Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (FORCE) conference. All participants were registered for a conference for women with or at risk for genetic breast or ovarian cancer. Method: Participants answered multiple choice questions about research before reading the assigned materials and again after reading the assigned materials. T-tests were used to assess pre-post-test change for both groups and to compare groups’ change in knowledge. Results: Both groups improved between pre- and post-test. The treatment group increased knowledge significantly more than the control group. Focus group results indicate that XRAYS is a valuable resource for identifying relevant recent research findings and for explaining limitations in research methods, relevance, and reporting quality. Results also indicate that it is critical for XRAYS and similar resources to be brief, use non-technical language and address the most recent trends in media coverage. Conclusion: Online resources that use plain language to help users to interpret science reporting critically help meet an important health education need.