VOLUNTEERS AS ADJUNCT RESEARCHERS IN A CANCER PREVENTION TRIAL - THE AMERICAN-CANCER-SOCIETY COLON POLYP PREVENTION STUDY

BACKGROUND. In April 1991, the Virginia Division of the American Cance r Society (ACS) initiated the feasibility phase of the Colon Polyp Pre vention Study (CPPS) to determine whether a high fiber supplement woul d decrease new adenomatous colorectal polyp occurrence. The feasibilit y phase had two specific objectives: 1) to evaluate accrual and compli ance to the designed protocol and 2) to evaluate and demonstrate the e ffectiveness of volunteers as research assistants. The CPPS is an inno vative project in which trained volunteers play a significant role in the research process. METHODS. In the CPPS, volunteer adjunct research ers (VARs) were trained to perform individual dietary data collection and intervention and other general study monitoring functions. VARs we re trained, certified, and monitored in the performance of their assig ned tasks by ACS staff and expert consultants. RESULTS. A total of 119 volunteers were trained as VARs, 74 of whom were certified and matche d to a study participant. Between 1991-1995, only six VARs left the st udy. After active accrual of participants to the study ceased in 1995, 38 VARs (50% of the certified VARs) continued to monitor the active s tudy participants. All VARs were consistently able to conduct the func tions for which they were trained. CONCLUSIONS, In spite of expected v olunteer attrition rates, a core of 38 dedicated VARs were matched to 72 participants and demonstrated the ability to perform selected data collecting activities on a consistent and efficient basis. The use of trained volunteers has allowed the CPPS to function in its feasibility phase at personnel cost considerably less than that of other similar cancer prevention trials. (C) 1998 American Cancer Society.