Veteran peer navigators to help with PSA screening decisions
Official title: Randomized trial of Veteran peer navigators to promote Shared Decision Making for PSA screening
Funded at VA Medical Center · NIH-11178112 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Veterans will be offered trained Veteran peer navigators to help them understand the pros and cons of PSA screening and prepare for a discussion with their VA primary care provider.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003622-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178112 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Men who are Veterans receiving care in VA primary care and who are due for a prostate cancer screening discussion are the ideal candidates for this program.
✕Less likely to help
People with a prior prostate cancer diagnosis, those not receiving care at participating VA clinics, or those who have already made a final decision about PSA screening may not benefit from joining.
What this research studies
If I take part, a Veteran peer navigator will coach me through the benefits, risks, and uncertainties of PSA screening and help me clarify my preferences before I meet my clinician. Participants are randomly assigned to receive this peer decision coaching or usual care, and the team will track how well shared decision making happens and how comfortable people feel with their choice. The program is delivered within VA primary care so it aims to fit into normal clinic workflows and reduce the counseling burden on providers. The study will collect feedback to improve how the navigator service could be used more widely in VA clinics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help Veterans make more informed PSA screening choices, increase shared decision making, and reduce unnecessary testing or overdiagnosis.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows that shared decision-making tools and decision coaching can improve patient knowledge and decision quality, but randomized trials specifically testing Veteran peer navigators for PSA screening are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
VA Medical Center
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Makarov, Danil V. — VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Makarov, Danil V.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.