Influence of an educational videotape on attitudes toward participating in cohort studies--results of a randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: This study was conducted to examine whether an educational videotape might change peoples' attitudes toward participating in future cohort studies by a prospective randomized controlled trial.

Methods: The participants were recruited from the residents of Kamogawa-city (139 at a health promotion festival, 54 from a nursery care study class, 53 from an elderly class, and 9 individuals who had not attended a health checkup for more than 10 years). All participants were randomized into a control group and an intervention group, and were asked to fill out a questionnaire designed to evaluate attitudes toward participating in future cohort studies. Those in the intervention group, however, were also asked to watch a videotape, produced by the authors to explain the objectives, significance, and security policies of a cohort study planned to be conducted in the same city, before completing the questionnaire.

Results: In the intervention group, 44% (54/123) showed a positive attitude to future participation, while the figure was only 25% (31/122) in the control group (Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel chi2: P=0.0025).

Conclusion: The videotape proved to be a useful tool for informing the general public about the nature of cohort studies and to increasing probable participation.