MEASUREMENT AND ANALYSIS

The MAC will play a pivotal role to ensure that all individual projects achieve their research goals and objectives. During the conduct of CARE I, two cores similar in function to MAC (the Biostatistics and Data Resources Core and the Behavior Assessment and Intervention Core) worked closely with the investigators of all projects to help support the aims of the studies by providing needed services. The OSU Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) Behavioral Measurement Shared Resource (BMSR) assisted all projects with participant recruitment and development of data collection tools. Core staff completed 5,512 surveys using a combination of computer-assisted interviews and self-administered surveys. The Behavior Assessment and Intervention Core utilized a tracking system to monitor the status of all participants, and the Biostatistics and Data Resources Core oversaw and conducted all analyses for all projects. These successful processes will be used in the operation of the proposed MAC. The MAC will provide project investigators with a centralized resource for recruitment, survey design, data collection, data management, and statistical expertise and support. Specific study aims include: 1. Providing recruitment and accrual assistance and consultation to all projects; 2. Providing guidance and assistance in developing, testing and implementing data collection tools, including hiring, training and supervision of interviewers; design and conduct of surveys and focus groups; and monitoring of the data collection process, as well as quality control; 3. Developing, testing, and maintaining data management systems to allow investigators to effectively and efficiently manage, store and analyze their data; and 4. Overseeing and conducting statistical analysis of data generated by the projects including both descriptive summary statistics and inferential methods, including modification and/or development of new statistical methodologies, when/if the need arises, to directly support the research projects relevant to the Center. The MAC will work with the Administrative Core (AC) to provide necessary information for all Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) meetings, such as accrual rates, analysis plans and results (see Section F for projects). Table 1 shows an estimation of MAC usage by project.