Enhancing Oral Cancer Awareness

Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Prevention; Patient Education; Oral Cancer , Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Oral Cavity Cancer; Chatbot; Oral Cancer; Oropharyngeal Cancers

Treatments: Behavioral: Traditional Education; Behavioral: AI-powered Chatbox

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06682494

MCC-24-21890

HM20030494 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

To evaluate the impact of AI-powered chatbot interactions versus traditional educational handouts on increasing participants' knowledge of oral cancer and its prevention

Full description

The study evaluates the difference in outcome of two distinct interventions aimed at enhancing oral cancer awareness and prevention among participants from African American communities in the Richmond area. Participants assigned to the first intervention arm will receive traditional educational handouts sourced from trustworthy and reliable health sources such as the CDC, American Cancer Association (ACA), and other health education resources. These handouts will be provided to the participants and provided enough time to read them based on calculated reading time, focusing on increasing awareness of oral cancer risks, preventive strategies, and the importance of regular dental check-ups. Participants assigned to the second intervention arm will engage with an AI-powered chatbot designed specifically for oral cancer education. The chatbot interaction will be initiated through a provided link, allowing participants to access information and ask questions related to oral health and cancer prevention. The chatbot is programmed to provide accurate information on oral cancer risks, symptoms, preventive measures, and the importance of regular dental check-ups

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Identify as African American as defined by the US Census
• Participants must be able to read, speak, and write in English

Exclusion criteria

• Individuals who cannot physically or mentally participate in the research project will be excluded
• Adults unable to consent
• Individuals who are not yet adults (infants, children, teenagers)
• Prisoners

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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60 participants in 2 patient groups

Traditional Educational Materials

Active Comparator group

Description:

Receiving oral cancer educational materials (handouts from trusted sources such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and American Cancer Association (ACA) and other reliable health education resources.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Traditional Education

Engaging with an AI-powered Chatbot

Experimental group

Description:

AI-powered chatbox designed specifically for oral cancer education. The chatbot is programmed to provide accurate information on oral cancer risks, symptoms, preventive measures, and the importance of regular dental check-ups.

Treatment:

Behavioral: AI-powered Chatbox