Don't Throw Your Heart Away: Layperson Study 1 (NCT04133831) | Clinical Trial Compass
CompletedNot Applicable
Don't Throw Your Heart Away: Layperson Study 1
United States1,019 participantsStarted 2019-11-15
Plain-language summary
Publicly available outcome assessments for transplant programs do not make salient that some programs tend to reject many of the hearts they are offered, whereas other programs accept a broader range of donor offers. The investigators use empirical studies to test whether transplant center performance data (i.e. transplant and waitlist outcome statistics) that reflect center donor acceptance rates influence laypersons to evaluate centers with high organ decline rates less favorably than centers with low organ decline rates. 1000 lay participants will be recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk and randomized to one of five different information presentation conditions. Participants will be given an introduction to the donor organ match process, then asked to view the table of transplant outcomes corresponding to the condition they were randomized to. Each participant is asked to choose between two hospitals: one hospital with an non-selective, "accepting" strategy (takes all donor heart offers), and one hospital with a more selective, "cherrypicking" strategy (tends to reject donor offers that are less than "excellent" quality).
Who can participate
Age range
18 Years
Sex
ALL
See this in plain English?
AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.
Inclusion criteria
. 18 years of age or older
. must read and understand the information in the consent form
. must want to participate in the research and continue with the survey
. must live in United States
Exclusion criteria
. Participants on mTurk will not be allowed to participate if they fail to pass the initial "bot screening", a multiple-choice question that asks, "What phone number should you dial when there is an emergency?" The obvious correct response in this screening question is "911", so participants who select one of the incorrect responses (i.e. "1-800-ANTIBOT", "1-877-MTURKER", "123") are filtered out and not allowed to complete the survey.
Questions worth asking your doctor
Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.
1Based on my diagnosis and history, is this trial worth exploring for me — or is there a standard treatment we should try first?
2What does this trial's phase tell us about how much is already known about its safety and benefit?
3What would taking part actually involve for me — visits, tests, time, and travel?
4What are the known and possible risks or side effects I should weigh, and how would they be monitored?
5If this trial isn't the right fit, what other options or trials would you suggest I look into?
Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.
Questions for the trial coordinator
The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.
1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?
A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.
. Participants on mTurk will be allowed to participate, but excluded from data analysis, if they submit a nonsense response to the free-response question which reads, "In your own words, why do you think patients should choose the hospital you picked?" This question takes place after the participant has viewed the choice stimuli and selected their response. If participants input nonsense in the text response box, they will be permitted to complete the survey and paid, but filtered out from the data analysis.