National Survey to Understand Ethical, Legal and Social Issues in Communicating to the Public About Epigenetics

The Washington University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Healthy

Treatments: Behavioral: Nanotechnology Video; Behavioral: Epigenetics Video

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT07020234

202503082

R01ES033743 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Few people realize that environmental pollution and some behaviors like physical activity and tobacco smoking can affect their health by "turning on" or "turning off" certain genes through a process called "epigenetic modification." This study will develop and test strategies for communicating about epigenetics that are understandable and that increase acceptance of using epigenetics in clinical settings.

Enrollment: 2,040 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

English language speaker,

Identify as one of five racial/ethnic groups:

1. Non-Hispanic White
2. Non-Hispanic Black,
3. Non-Hispanic Asian
4. Non-Hispanic Indigenous (i.e., Alaska Native/Native Hawaiians/American Indian/Other Pacific Islander)
5. Hispanic (all races)

Exclusion criteria

• Self-identify as a genetics expert

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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2,040 participants in 2 patient groups

Epigenetics Video

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will watch a brief (\<5 minute) video about the concept of Epigenetics

Treatment:

Behavioral: Epigenetics Video

Nanotechnology Video

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will watch a brief (\<5 minute) video about nanotechnology

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nanotechnology Video