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Are Racial and Ethnic Minorities Less Willing to Participate in Health Research?

PLoS Medicine · 2005 · Vol. 3(2) · pp. e19–e19

David Wendler✉(National Institutes of Health Clinical Center)Raynard Kington(National Institutes of Health)Jennifer H. Madans(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Gretchen Van Wye(Yale University)Heidi Christ‐Schmidt(Statistics Collaborative)Laura A. Pratt(National Center for Health Statistics)Otis W. Brawley(Emory University)Cary P. Gross(Yale University)Ezekiel J. Emanuel(National Institutes of Health Clinical Center)

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Abstract

We found very small differences in the willingness of minorities, most of whom were African-Americans and Hispanics in the US, to participate in health research compared to non-Hispanic whites. These findings, based on the research enrollment decisions of over 70,000 individuals, the vast majority from the US, suggest that racial and ethnic minorities in the US are as willing as non-Hispanic whites to participate in health research. Hence, efforts to increase minority participation in health research should focus on ensuring access to health research for all groups, rather than changing minority attitudes.

Ethics in Clinical Research Biomedical Ethics and Regulation Ethics in medical practiceEthnic groupConfidence intervalOdds ratioDemographyMedicineInformed consentEpidemiologyIntervention (counseling)Family medicineGerontology

MeSH terms

AttitudeBlack or African AmericanClinical Trials as TopicHealth SurveysHispanic or LatinoHumansInformed ConsentPatient ParticipationUnited StatesWhite People