Exploring Willingness of Elder Chinese in Houston to Participate in Clinical Research.

Logan R Thornton,Arch G Mainous,Barbara C Tilley,Rossybelle P Amorrortu,Sally W Vernon,Daniel W Smith

doi:10.1016/j.conctc.2016.06.006

Abstract

Background and objectivesInadequate minority participation in clinical research can threaten the applicability and strength of scientific findings. Previous research suggests that trial participation rates are lowest among Asian Americans, compared to other groups. This study explored barriers to clinical research participation among elder Chinese living in Houston, Texas. Additionally we administered the Trust in Medical Researchers Scale (TIMRS), used previously in researching trust in medical researchers as related to research participation.DesignIn this mixed methods study, a semi-structured interview, including the TIMRS were administered to 30 adults of Chinese ancestry aged 50 years or older recruited from a Chinese community center. Interviews were conducted in English, Mandarin and Cantonese and independently coded and analyzed using thematic content analysis. TIMRS scores were calculated for participants.ResultsParticipants were 70% female, 70% were 60 or elder, all were foreign born and on average lived in the US for 21.8 years. Participants perceived risks to research participation and preferred language concordant research staff. Interviewees were more willing to participate if they perceived personal and community health-related benefits. The overall TIMRS score was 23.9 (±5.0), lower than the overall TIMRS for Whites in a previous study (P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe barriers and facilitators to research participation confirmed previous research among Asians. Our participant TIMRS scores were consistent with decreased levels of trust observed in the original TIMRS study for African Americans as compared and lower than Whites. Employing strategies that utilize language concordant staff who build trust with participants may aid in recruiting elder Chinese, especially if the research is personally relevant to those being recruited.

Highlights

Underrepresentation of racially and ethnically diverse groups in medical research is an ongoing problem [1e4]
We examined the association between the overall Trust in Medical Researchers Scale (TIMRS) score and likelihood of future participation using a logistic regression model
Our study used a mixed methods approach to measure trust in medical research and researchers among an elder purposive sample of Chinese Americans living in Houston and to examine their willingness to participate in clinical trials

Summary

Introduction

Underrepresentation of racially and ethnically diverse groups in medical research is an ongoing problem [1e4]. Participant diversity in medical research allows researchers to generalize their findings (A.G. Mainous), more broadly and to analyze responses to experimental interventions received by different racial and ethnic groups [5e9]. Researchers are limited in their ability to draw scientifically rigorous conclusions about the efficacy of experimental interventions. Previous research suggests that trial participation rates are lowest among Asian Americans, compared to other groups. This study explored barriers to clinical research participation among elder Chinese living in Houston, Texas. Our participant TIMRS scores were consistent with decreased levels of trust observed in the original TIMRS study for African Americans as compared and lower than Whites. Employing strategies that utilize language concordant staff who build trust with participants may aid in recruiting elder Chinese, especially if the research is personally relevant to those being recruited

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion