Disparities in Research Participation by Level of Health Literacy

Area of Science:

• Clinical Research
• Health Communication
• Patient Recruitment

Background:

• Patient characteristics and health literacy can impact clinical trial enrollment.
• Understanding these factors is crucial for effective participant recruitment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify at which phase of clinical research recruitment, health literacy and patient characteristics influence outcomes.
• To examine the association between health literacy and patient decision-making in research participation.

Main Methods:

• Utilized logistic regression models on a sample of 5872 cardiovascular disease patients from October 2011 to December 2015.
• Assessed health literacy's independent association with research interest (willingness to hear more) and research participation (enrollment decision).
• Implemented best practices for health communication during recruitment and informed consent processes.

Main Results:

• Higher health literacy, younger age, female gender, and higher education were associated with increased research interest and participation in unadjusted analyses.
• Health literacy remained independently associated with both research interest and participation in multivariable models, even after adjusting for sociodemographic factors.

Conclusions:

• Health literacy and patient characteristics are key predictors of engagement in clinical research.
• Effective recruitment strategies require both appropriate methods for approaching participants and clear explanations of study materials to ensure broad population inclusion.