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This article examines a randomized controlled trial (RCT) designed to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening.
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21 p.
Notes
Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of interventions intended to modify health behaviors may be influenced by neighborhood effects which can impede unbiased estimation of intervention effects. Examining a RCT designed to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening (N=5628), we found statistically significant neighborhood effects: average CRC test use among neighboring study participants was significantly and positively associated with individual patient’s CRC test use. This potentially important spatially-varying covariate has not previously been considered in a RCT. Our results suggest that future RCTs of health behavior interventions should assess potential social interactions between participants, which may cause intervention arm contamination and may bias effect size estimation.
This is the accepted manuscript version of the article. Reprinted with permission from Elsevier., all rights reserved. The final definitive version is available here: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2014.10.001.
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Pruitt, Sandi L.; Leonard, Tammy; Murdoch, James; Hughes, Amy; McQueen, Amy & Gupta, Samir.Neighborhood Effects in a Behavioral Randomized Controlled Trial,
article,
November 21, 2014;
New York, New York.
(https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1010763/:
accessed April 30, 2024),
University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu;
crediting University of North Texas.
