Help identify post-mastectomy research priorities


The Canadian Research Consortium on Post Mastectomy Breast Reconstruction is looking for physicians and members of the public to participate in a 5-minute online questionnaire to help identify research priorities for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction.

Please take 5 minutes to participate in this important survey: www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFP2TPF

The survey will close on Tuesday, 31 July 2018.

Why are we doing this?
This study is meant to improve the lives of women who are thinking about undergoing breast reconstruction after mastectomy. We want to identify questions about reconstruction that are important to patients and have not yet been answered by research. 

Who should take part in this study?
-    Health care providers (including doctors, nurses, social workers, and others who care for patients with mastectomy)
-    Women who have undergone or are waiting for a mastectomy (for treatment or prevention of breast cancer)
-    Friends and family of women who have had or will undergo mastectomy
-    People who are interested in this topic

What is involved if I take part in this study?
Participating in the study is voluntary. It involves completing a questionnaire, but you do not have to answer any question that you do not want to answer. By completing the questionnaire you consent to participate in the study. 

At the end of the questionnaire you will be asked if you would like to participate in the second phase of the study by helping to decide which of the research topics identified from this questionnaire are most important. If you agree to participate, you will be asked for your name and contact information. If you do not provide this information, your participation in this study will be anonymous and we will not contact you again.

Will my answers be kept confidential?
All answers are kept completely confidential and anonymous. Any personal information we collect will remain confidential and when we release the results of this study, we will never identify any individual who took part in this questionnaire. Data will be kept at the University Health Network in Toronto and only the study team will have access to it.

Who is supporting this study?
The questionnaire is part of a CIHR-funded project aimed at incorporating patient perspectives in breast reconstruction research, spearheaded by Dr Toni Zhong and colleagues across Canada. The study uses the James Lind Alliance methodology, a new and proven method to bring together patients, caregivers, and clinicians to identify critical and unanswered research questions in breast reconstruction.

What will happen to the results?
The final results will be made public on the University Health Network Breast Reconstruction Program site, and we will work to promote the results with other researchers and organizations that fund research.

Who can I contact for more information?
If you would like more information, please go to www.myreconstruction.ca/nrc.html,
or contact:

Ms Muna Hassan
Clinical Research Coordinator, National Research Consortium
Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network 
Dept. of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Email: muna.hassan@uhnresearch.ca
Phone: 416 340-4800 (ext. 5799)

Dr Toni Zhong
Director, UHN Breast Reconstruction Program 
Email: toni.zhong@uhn.ca 
Phone: 416 340-3858

—Muna Hassan
Clinical Research Coordinator, National Research Consortium


This posting has not been peer reviewed by the BCMJ Editorial Board.


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