Educational CD-ROM Compared With Standard Informed Consent for Patients With Colorectal Cancer or a Family History of Colorectal Cancer

Participants in the Counseling intervention will meet with the study health educator who will provide the participant with the standard MSI informed consent form and provide a brief, standardized explanation of the MSI test. At that time, the participant can ask any questions s/he wishes to ask. The patients will either sign (or not sign, if they do not consent to have the test, or wish to think further about the decision) after this discussion. Participants who have further questions will be referred to either the attending physician or the genetics counselor at each hospital site.

Participants who are randomized to the CD-ROM condition will complete the baseline interview and then meet with the health educator who will provide the participant with the standard MSI consent form and provide a brief, standardized explanation of the MSI test. At that time, the participant can ask any questions s/he wishes to ask. Next, the participant will be provided with the CD-ROM to view on a laptop computer in the clinic. Participants will also be given a copy of the CD-ROM to take home and keep for future reference. The CD-ROM patients will sign (or not sign, if they do not consent or wish to think further about the decision) the consent form after this discussion.