Development of the Oncology Opportunity Cost Assessment Tool

Completed

• Conditions: Malignant Solid Neoplasm; Hematopoietic and Lymphoid Cell Neoplasm
• Interventions: Behavioral: Focus Group; Other: Interview; Other: Research or Clinical Assessment Tool

• Registration Number: NCT04694911
• Lead Sponsor: Thomas Jefferson University

Brief Summary

This study develops and tests an instrument to measure opportunity costs called the Oncology Opportunity Cost Assessment Tool (OOCAT) in cancer patients. Patients experience significant costs, both direct financial as well as indirect costs, associated with seeking cancer treatment. While the direct financial impact of care on patients is receiving increased attention, other important consequences, such as opportunity cost, remain largely unmeasured. Opportunity cost is an economics term that refers to the loss of potential benefits from other options when one option is chosen - if resources are used for one purpose, they are no longer available for the next best option. The information and knowledge gained from this study may help researchers develop the OOCAT, which may allow them to understand the opportunity cost of treatment for each patient. The OOCAT may then be used to determine not just the best medications for patients, but also the best comprehensive treatment plan that will allow them to get the right treatment in the right place at the right time.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2019-11-21
• Study First Submitted: 2020-12-07
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-01-04
• Study First Posted: 2021-01-05
• Primary Completion: 2021-05-11
• Study Completion: 2021-07-31
• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-28
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-29

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: Male
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

• Treated for cancer at one of the 3 participating sites (Jefferson Center City, Jefferson Methodist Hospital, Jefferson Abington)
• English speaking
• Able to attend and participate in a focus group

Exclusion Criteria

• Treated at a Jefferson site other than the ones mentioned
• Non-English Speaking

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Health Services Research (focus group, interview, OOCAT)	Focus Group	FOCUS GROUP: Patients participate in focus group session over 60-90 minutes. COGNITIVE INTERVIEW: Patients complete cognitive interview on the clarity, interpretability, and ease of use of the OOCAT. FEASIBILITY TESTING: Patients receive OOCAT at the point of care, online, or via telephone, per patients' preference.
Health Services Research (focus group, interview, OOCAT)	Interview	FOCUS GROUP: Patients participate in focus group session over 60-90 minutes. COGNITIVE INTERVIEW: Patients complete cognitive interview on the clarity, interpretability, and ease of use of the OOCAT. FEASIBILITY TESTING: Patients receive OOCAT at the point of care, online, or via telephone, per patients' preference.
Health Services Research (focus group, interview, OOCAT)	Research or Clinical Assessment Tool	FOCUS GROUP: Patients participate in focus group session over 60-90 minutes. COGNITIVE INTERVIEW: Patients complete cognitive interview on the clarity, interpretability, and ease of use of the OOCAT. FEASIBILITY TESTING: Patients receive OOCAT at the point of care, online, or via telephone, per patients' preference.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Implementation of OOCAT	1 Day of OOCAT administration	Will test the instrument as developed with patients receiving oncology care across the Jefferson Health System to gather preliminary data informing the reliability of the scale to measure opportunity cost of seeking care.
Patient-level opportunity costs associated with oncology care	1 Day of Interview	Patient-identified themes that contribute to opportunity cost will be generated via patient focus groups
Development of the Oncology Opportunity Cost Assessment Tool (OOCAT)	1 Day of Interview	Will organize themes into domains and will generate items representing each of the themes for inclusion in an instrument designed to measure patient opportunity cost of seeking care. Will perform cognitive interviews with a random sampling of patients from the cancer center to test initial instrument items to ensure content validity and clarity of each item.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States