GH-02 Racial Minority Representation in Clinical Research: A Survey Study
Start Date
31-3-2023 10:30 AM
End Date
30-3-2023 12:30 PM
Document Type
Poster
Abstract
Despite bearing a higher chronic disease burden, ethnic and racial minorities are poorly represented in clinical trials. Inadequately representative trials risk producing interventions that are suboptimal for those most vulnerable. This participation disparity has been attributed to medical mistrust and various other factors affecting healthcare access.
This study sought to identify the factors most influential to trial participation for patients of color within the Sickle Cell and Medical Oncology departments at Grady Health Systems. Participants were divided into two cohorts: those NOT Enrolled in a clinical trial (N= 93; mean age = 54 years; 47% male; 53% female; Black/AA: 79.6%), and those currently/previously Enrolled (N= 26; mean age= 60 years; 65% male; 35% female; Black/AA: 80.8%) in a clinical trial within Grady. These patients were then administered a questionnaire developed to assess various attitudinal and structural factors around their enrollment status.
While 92.4% of not-enrolled patients reported that their providers effectively explained their illnesses, few had an adequate understanding of clinical trials, and many revealed never having been asked to participate in one. Comparatively, 100% of enrolled patients expressed satisfaction with their provider’s explanations in addition to fewer fears about the risks of participation.
In sum, our data suggest that increasing racial and ethnic minority participation in clinical trials requires increasing access to quality care that builds positive, educational physician-patient relationships.
GH-02 Racial Minority Representation in Clinical Research: A Survey Study
Despite bearing a higher chronic disease burden, ethnic and racial minorities are poorly represented in clinical trials. Inadequately representative trials risk producing interventions that are suboptimal for those most vulnerable. This participation disparity has been attributed to medical mistrust and various other factors affecting healthcare access.
This study sought to identify the factors most influential to trial participation for patients of color within the Sickle Cell and Medical Oncology departments at Grady Health Systems. Participants were divided into two cohorts: those NOT Enrolled in a clinical trial (N= 93; mean age = 54 years; 47% male; 53% female; Black/AA: 79.6%), and those currently/previously Enrolled (N= 26; mean age= 60 years; 65% male; 35% female; Black/AA: 80.8%) in a clinical trial within Grady. These patients were then administered a questionnaire developed to assess various attitudinal and structural factors around their enrollment status.
While 92.4% of not-enrolled patients reported that their providers effectively explained their illnesses, few had an adequate understanding of clinical trials, and many revealed never having been asked to participate in one. Comparatively, 100% of enrolled patients expressed satisfaction with their provider’s explanations in addition to fewer fears about the risks of participation.
In sum, our data suggest that increasing racial and ethnic minority participation in clinical trials requires increasing access to quality care that builds positive, educational physician-patient relationships.