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Racial Differences Among Factors Associated with Participation in Clinical Research Trials

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Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To identify whether racial differences exist among various factors associated with patients’ decision to participate in clinical research trials.

Methods

A self-administered, IRB-approved survey was utilized with inclusion criteria requiring subjects to be 18 years of age or older, having active patient status and ability to complete the survey without assistance. Subjects were asked to rate potential influential motivators, barriers, and facilitators on a “no influence” (0) to “most influence” (4) scale for participation in research that tests a new drug or device. Kruskal-Wallis testing was used to identify factors significantly associated with race.

Results

Analysis included 1643 surveys: 949 (57.8 %) Caucasian; 217 (13.2 %) African-American; 317 (19.3 %) Hispanic; 62 (3.8 %) Multiracial; and 98 (6.0 %) “Other” minorities. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ .02) by race were found for five out of ten motivating factors. “How well the research study is explained to me” had the highest mean value for all races except other minorities, for whom “Knowledge learned from my participation will benefit someone in the future” scored highest. “Risk of unknown side-effects” was the greatest barrier for all races.

Conclusion

Racial differences exist not only between Caucasians and Minorities for the factors associated with their clinical trial participation, but also among different minority races themselves. To promote diversity in research, recruitment strategies for each individual race should be customized based on what matters to the target population.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Bernadette Glenn Porter, BS, for her help with editing and formatting this manuscript. We also thank Matthew Meyers, BS, for his help with data entry, and our summer research scholars and interns, Adrian Paskey, BS, Jerry Chang, BS, Alex Winter, BS, Gordon Ridgeway, BS, and Aimee Rodriquez, BS, for their help with survey distribution and data collection.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lehigh Valley Health Network, Cedar Crest Boulevard and I-78, Allentown, PA, 18103, USA

    Anita Kurt, Lauren Semler, Jeanne L. Jacoby, Melanie B. Johnson, Beth A. Careyva, Brian Stello, Timothy Friel, Mark C. Knouse, Hope Kincaid & John C. Smulian

  2. EM Research, LVHN-Muhlenberg, 4th Floor, 2545 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem, PA, 18107, USA

    Anita Kurt

Authors
  1. Anita Kurt
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  2. Lauren Semler
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Correspondence to Anita Kurt.

Ethics declarations

Ethical Approval

All procedures performed in this study involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

This voluntary, anonymous survey study was IRB-approved as “exempt” and an alteration of informed consent was granted.

Funding

This work was funded by a non-profit philanthropic trust, the Anne and Carl Anderson Trust.

Conflict of Interest

The authors have no outside support information, conflicts, or financial interest to disclose.

Additional information

This work was funded by a non-profit philanthropic trust, the Anne and Carl Anderson Trust.

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Kurt, A., Semler, L., Jacoby, J.L. et al. Racial Differences Among Factors Associated with Participation in Clinical Research Trials. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 4, 827–836 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-016-0285-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-016-0285-1

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