From Screening to Support: Why cancer patients decline offered help for social needs
From Screening to Support: A Multi-Method Analysis of HRSN Integration in Cancer Care
This project tries to find out why adult cancer patients who report needs like transportation, food, housing, or utilities decline support offered by the health system using a short electronic survey and optional interviews.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 500 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Thomas Jefferson University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Trial ID | NCT07352579 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This cross-sectional observational project targets adult oncology patients at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center who screened positive for at least one health-related social need but declined help. About 500 patients will complete a 10-minute electronic survey delivered via MyChart or email, and 20–30 survey respondents will be invited to optional semi-structured Zoom interviews to explore decision-making in greater depth. Researchers will combine quantitative survey data with qualitative interview themes to identify factors—such as mistrust, perceptions of resource availability, prioritization of needs, or past resilience—that influence acceptance of support. The aim is to identify barriers and facilitators so health systems can design better outreach and referral processes to address unmet HRSNs.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adult cancer patients treated at Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center who have EHR-documented HRSNs (transportation, food, housing, or utility needs), previously declined help, can read English, and can provide consent are ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Patients without documented HRSNs, those who already accepted support, non-English speakers, or individuals unable to consent or complete electronic surveys are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could help cancer centers tailor outreach and support programs to increase patients' use of resources and reduce unmet social needs.
How similar studies have performed: Related research shows HRSN screening can identify unmet needs but has produced mixed results on whether patients accept offered help, making this focused analysis of decliners relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Individuals must meet all of the following inclusion criteria in order to be eligible to participate in the study: * Provide informed consent via check box for survey * Provide verbal consent via Zoom for interview * Must be able to read and understand English * Willing to comply with all study procedures and be available for the duration of the study * Patients with existing HRSN data in their EHR that answere4d yes to risk in at least one domain and no to wanting help/follow up Exclusion Criteria: * An individual who meets any of the following criteria will be excluded from participation in this study: * If they do not consent * Non-patients with existing HRSN data in their EHR * Individuals unable to complete the survey due to language barriers or other cognitive limitations
Where this trial is running
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Munjireen Sifat, PhD, MPH — Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University
- Study coordinator: Munjireen Sifat, PhD, MPH
- Email: Munjireen.Sifat@jefferson.edu
- Phone: 267-432-2641
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.