Normative health research experiences among African American elders

Data are meager regarding the prevalence of participation and the overall experience of African American elders in research across a variety of health-related studies. This study sought to increase our knowledge about older African Americans' participation in health research by capturing some of their normative experiences and attitudes.

A telephone-based survey was conducted on 1,290 urban African Americans greater than or equal to 60 years old. The assessment focused on issues of housing, neighborhoods, health, and experiences with health research.

The overall prevalence of respondents who took part in a health research project was 14%. Significant predictors included income, attitudes about fairness, perceptions of protection from harm, understanding of research as a key to improving health care, and participation in survey research.

Findings underscore the importance of addressing economic, educational, and trust barriers to research participation as well as the importance of conveying a sense of caring for the health of individuals and the community as a whole.