Leveraging Health Information Technology to Collect Family Cancer History: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

PURPOSE Collection of family cancer histories (FCHs) can identify individuals at risk for familial cancer syndromes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the literature on existing strategies whereby providers use information technology to assemble FCH. METHODS A systematic search of online databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Embase) between 1980 and 2020 was performed. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed through the chi-square test (ie, Cochrane Q test) and the inconsistency statistic (I2). A random-effects analysis was used to calculate the pooled proportions and means. RESULTS The comprehensive search produced 4,005 publications. Twenty-eight studies met inclusion criteria. Twenty-seven information technology tools were evaluated. Eighteen out of 28 studies were electronic surveys administered before visits (18, 64.3%). Five studies administered tablet surveys in offices (5, 17.8%). Four studies collected electronic survey via kiosk before visits (4, 14.3%), and one study used animated virtual counselor during visits (1, 3.6%). Among the studies that use an FCH tool, the pooled estimate of the overall completion rate was 86% (CI, 72% to 96%), 84% (CI, 65% to 97%) for electronic surveys before visits, 89% (CI, 0.74 to 0.98) for tablet surveys, and 85% (CI, 0.66 to 0.98) for surveys via kiosk. Mean time required for completion was 31.0 minutes (CI, 26.1 to 35.9), and the pooled estimate of proportions of participants referred to genetic testing was 12% (CI, 4% to 23%). CONCLUSION Our review found that electronic FCH collection can be completed successfully by patients in a time-efficient manner with high rates of satisfaction.

Genetic Testing for All: Overcoming Disparities in Ovarian Cancer Genetic Testing

“…Furthermore, programs can use imported patient information to identify high-risk patients, calculate the probability of carrying a pathogenic variant, and alert providers that a patient would benefit from a genetic assessment. 54 Chatbots are software programs designed to simulate human conversation using natural language processing and may provide an even more powerful level of assistance. 55 Chatbots can assist a patient with personal and family history collection, assess the imported information in the context of accepted guidelines for hereditary cancer risk, offer individualized and interactive patient counseling, and facilitate the process of genetic testing.…”

Temporal Trends in the Completeness of Epidemiological Variables in a Hospital-Based Cancer Registry of a Pediatric Oncology Center in Brazil

“…Family history is crucial to differentiate between cases of sporadic malignant neoplasms, those with family grouping, and those that are hereditary [38][39][40]. Identifying family members at risk for hereditary neoplastic syndromes is pivotal for preventive care, reducing cancer-related morbimortality and costs for health systems [42][43][44]. In comparison with another previous study from the same Brazilian state, but in the adult population, the family history of cancer variable also obtained a very poor classification in all years, with percentages of non-completion between 62.5% and 70.3%; the year with the highest amount of missing data was 2015, with 5980 (70.3%) [19].…”