Evaluating an Internet-Based Curriculum About Herbs

ISRCTN	ISRCTN88148532
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN88148532
ClinicalTrials.gov number	NCT00110539
Secondary identifying numbers	5R01LM7709

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Prof Kathi Kemper
Scientific

Pediatrics - WFUSM
Medical Center Blvd.
Winston-Salem
27157
United States of America

Study design	Randomised controlled trial
Primary study design	Interventional
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)	Not specified
Study type	Not Specified
Scientific title
Study objectives	This project has two specific aims: a. To assess the impact of different intended durations of delivering a curricula (all at once, or 'bolus' delivery versus small amounts delivered over a longer period of time, or 'drip' delivery) on clinicians knowledge, confidence and communication practices about herbs and dietary supplements b. To assess the impact of mode of delivery by providing the individual modules as an email ('push' method) versus as an email inviting the participant to access an Internet site to get the modules ('pull' method)
Ethics approval(s)	Not provided at time of registration
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	N/A - This is an educational research project
Intervention	Internet-based curriculum about herbs and supplements. Four different delivery strategies: push-drip versus push-bolus versus pull-drip versus pull-bolus.
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure	Improvements in participants' knowledge, confidence and communication skills.
Secondary outcome measures	Completion rate
Overall study start date	01/09/2004
Completion date	30/06/2005

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Adult
Sex	Both
Target number of participants	1,500
Key inclusion criteria	Clinicians will be eligible if they are licensed health care providers who reside and work in the United States. Included as potential health care workers are physicians, physician-assistants, pharmacists, nurses, and dietitians.
Key exclusion criteria	Potential participants will be excluded if they: 1. Do not have an email address or regular access to the Internet 2. Do not plan to retain their email address for at least 4 months 3. Do not check their e-mail at least twice weekly 4. Indicate at enrollment that they are unwilling to complete the baseline and follow-up assessments 5. Have enrolled in this curriculum previously (e.g. participated in the pilot study) 6. Live or work outside the US, because the laws governing herbs and dietary supplements are variable outside the US, and product availability also differs outside the US We will not include laypersons who are simply interested in learning about herbs and other dietary supplements. We will ask all participants for their professional license number and the state in which they are licensed to verify professional status.
Date of first enrolment	01/09/2004
Date of final enrolment	30/06/2005

Pediatrics - WFUSM

Winston-Salem
27157
United States of America

Wake Forest University School of Medicine (USA)
University/education

Medical Center Blvd.
Winston-Salem
27157
United States of America

Government

National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) (USA)
Government organisation / National government

Intention to publish date
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
Publication and dissemination plan	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results comparing the four strategies for delivering e-curriculum to health care professionals:	11/01/2006		Yes	No
Results article	results on long-term impact of the four strategies:	07/08/2006		Yes	No