October 2018 Update: We finished collecting this round of data in summer 2018 and are currently writing up our findings. Thank you to all who participated in the study or spread the word about our work! 

Professors and student researchers at Merrimack College are conducting a study on how people cope during a cancer diagnosis process. Please consider participating in this study if, in the last 5 years, you have gone through a cancer diagnosis process because of symptoms or worrisome indicators your health care provider found. You do not need to have a positive cancer diagnosis to participate. You may also be currently undergoing cancer treatment. We are looking for all types of experiences with the diagnosis process.

This study is not for people who are undergoing regular, timed screenings such as mammograms, colonoscopies, or PSA tests. Participants must be 18 or older.

Participants will have the option to be part of a focus group or individual interview. Focus groups and interviews will take approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. Online focus groups or telephone interviews are available. All participants will receive their choice of a $25 Amazon or Target gift card.

We are also interviewing physicians about their professional experiences and communication practices. Please consider participating in this study if you are a physician and you have authorized cancer diagnosis procedures/testing for at least two patients in the last 12 months. These testing procedures should not be regular, timed screenings; instead, there should have been some symptom or indicator that caused you concern that the patients may have had cancer. All participants will receive their choice of a $25 Amazon or Target gift card.

Please contact Dr. Lisa Perks ([email protected]) or Dr. Andrew Tollison ([email protected]) to participate in the study or to receive more information.

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