Feasibility of Recruiting Latinos for a Lung Cancer Screening Study Through a Patient Portal

TL;DR

This study shows that using a patient portal is a feasible and cost-effective way to recruit Latino individuals for a lung cancer screening study.

Contribution

The study demonstrates the feasibility of using a patient portal to recruit Latinos for lung cancer screening research.

Findings

38.3% of identified individuals had an active patient portal account and were messaged.

6.8% of those messaged showed interest in the study.

The overall enrollment rate was 1.3%, with a 90% enrollment/eligible rate.

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to assess the feasibility of recruiting Latinos for a lung cancer screening study through a patient portal. The electronic health record (EHR) at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) was utilized to identify individuals with the following characteristics: (1) Hispanic/Latino ethnicity, (2) between 50 and 80 years old, (3) currently smoking, and (4) seen at URMC within the last 10 years. Identified individuals with an active account on MyChart (the patient portal at URMC) were messaged up to two times. The MyChart message, sent in both English and Spanish, invited individuals to participate in a study that aimed to increase the uptake of lung cancer screening among Latinos. A total of 1745 individuals in the EHR at URMC were identified as potentially eligible. Six hundred and sixty‐eight individuals (38.3%, 668/1745) had an active MyChart account and were messaged. Forty‐six individuals responded as interested in the study (the study interest rate was 6.8%, 46/668). Ten individuals were eligible and nine enrolled in the study (the overall enrollment rate was 1.3%, 9/668, and the enrollment/eligible rate was 90%, 9/10). It is feasible to recruit Latinos for a lung cancer screening study through a patient portal. The study interest, overall enrollment, and enrollment/eligible rates are promising and have the potential to inform future recruitment efforts because of their high‐reach and low‐cost.

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