Learning About Research in North Carolina (LeARN)

The proposed study, Project LeARN (Learning About Research in North Carolina), will build on a series of well established population based studies of the genetic, environmental and behavioral predictors of colorectal cancer among African American and white cases and controls, the North Carolina Colorectal Cancer Study (NCCCS), to understand participants' views of genetic variation research. Project LEARN contains both a longitudinal component to assess change in beliefs about causality as a result of participation in NCCCS, and a cross-sectional component to examine NCCCS participants' motivations, assessment of positives and negatives and understanding of genetic variation research. The proposed study will survey 832 NCCCS study participants with the following specific aims, to describe: 1) NCCCS participants' perceptions of causality of colorectal cancer and how perceptions of causality of colorectal cancer change after participation in the NCCCS determinants of colorectal cancer interview; 2) what motivates research participants to participate in the NCCCS study; 3) NCCCS participants' perceptions of positives and negatives related to collecting genetic data in epidemiologic research; and 4) how NCCCS research participants understand the purpose of the NCCCS research. All aims will be examined for differences by disease status and race/ethnicity.