The Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center (DF/HCC) is affiliated with HSPH and is the largest comprehensive cancer center in the world. Aimed at supporting research to fight cancer, DF/HCC has 17 "cores" targeted at specific aspects of cancer research.
One of those cores-the Survey and Measurement Core (SMC)-has recently been opened to all researchers across the country, not just those working at institutions affiliated with DF/HCC, and has broadened its scope to include non-cancer projects.
"Our faculty are experts in the best ways to measure social, psychological, and behavioral predictors and outcomes," said Laura Kubzansky, director of the SMC and HSPH Assistant Professor of Society, Human Development, and Health. "The scope of work covered by the Core includes focus group work, development of patient education materials, guidelines for measures and measurement of psychosocial and behavioral factors related to health, and all aspects of survey development and implementation."
She added, "The Core would be helpful to any scientist who is working with a patient population, doing population-based research or who needs to administer some type of survey - really to all investigators who are looking to include a psychosocial or behavioral component to their research."
For example, the faculty at the SMC are currently collaborating with Ursula Matulonis, MD, at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute on a grant proposal, "Assessment of QOL, Medical Decision-Making, and Barriers to Intraperitoneal (IP) Chemotherapy Use in Patients Who Are Eligible for IP Chemotherapy." If funded, SMC faculty will plan and conduct focus groups, analyze focus group and interview transcripts, aid in the development of patient education materials, assist in the writing and testing of survey questions, and advise on survey administration issues.
SMC faculty are also collaborating with Lisa Iezzoni, MD, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center on her recently-funded NIH grant, "Decision Making: Stage I Breast Cancer in Women with Significant Physical Disabilities." In both of these projects, SMC faculty also assisted with grant preparation and IRB submission.
Due to its expanded accessibility to researchers, SMC is now operating on a fee-for-service basis-with up to two hours of consulting at no charge. Typically, this would cover an initial discussion of project goals and, if needed, a recommendation for existing measures. There is no charge for grant-related work if core faculty time is included in the grant budget.
In addition to its consulting service, SMC also maintains a repository of more than 100 rigorously designed and tested questionnaires. A listing of the questionnaires is available on the web site, and investigators may obtain them by calling the SMC.
The Core also sponsors a series of workshops at no charge. The next in the series is "Non-experimental Study Design in Discovery Studies of Cancer Biomarkers," on October 18 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the Jimmy Fund Auditorium on Binney Street at DFCI. Dominique Michaud, HSPH Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, will be the speaker. A listing of past and upcoming workshops can also be found on the web site.
"We are pleased to be able to offer these services to a broader group of investigators, and strongly encourage researchers to provide us with feedback," said Virginia Casey, who manages the Core. E-mail feedback to vcasey@hsph.harvard.edu.
To learn more, visit the Core Facilities Survey and Management webpage.
Copyright, 2009, President and Fellows of Harvard College
