Year: 2021
Type: preprint
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Background: The impact of altruism on enrollment and longitudinal follow-up among cancer patients participating in clinical research studies remains poorly understood. This systematic review assesses published data reporting altruism as a motivator in cancer research and derives objective definitions of the four subtypes of altruism to permit future investigation in prospective therapeutic and non-therapeutic studies.Method: A qualitative systematic review of altruism and cancer was conducted according PRISMA after a literature search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and PsychINFO databases. Study aims, methodology, outcomes, and conclusions were extracted to perform qualitative analysis of altruistic motivations among cancer research participants. Quality and risk of bias were assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal tool for Systematic Reviews Checklist for Qualitative Research. Results: Of 78 full-text manuscripts, fourteen met eligibility criteria for analysis, all of which used semi-structured interviews or questionnaires to study subsets of cancer patients participating in therapeutic clinical trials or non-therapeutic biobanking. Four distinct subtypes of altruism were demonstrated and defined according to an association map having the following four domains: personal benefit, benefit to family (kinship), benefit to others, and social exchange. Conclusion: Different types of altruism among cancer patients were observed both in therapeutic and non-therapeutic studies. Altruism remains as an underrecognized factor that affects clinical research studies.
Source: Research Square
Language: English
Topic: Ethics in Clinical Research
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4200209346