Barriers to Clinical Trial Participation: Comparing Perceptions and Knowledge of African American and White South Carolinians

This study explored why participation in clinical trials is lower in the African American population. The authors examined two sets of potential barriers: structural/procedural (limited accessibility, lack of awareness, doctors not discussing clinical trial options, and lack of health insurance) and cognitive/psychological (lack of subjective and factual knowledge, misperceptions, distrust, fear, and perceived risk). The authors found that lack of subjective knowledge and perceived risk were significant predictors of African Americans' willingness to participate in a clinical trial. Implications of the findings are discussed in detail.

Kim SH, Tanner A, Friedman DB, et al. Barriers to clinical trial participation: Comparing perceptions and knowledge of African American and White South Carolinians. Journal of Health Communication 2015;20(7):816-826.