The Impact of Communicating Uncertainty on Public Responses to Precision Medicine Research

Precision medicine research depends upon recruiting large and diverse participant cohorts to provide genetic, environmental, and lifestyle data. How prospective participants react to information about this research, including depictions of uncertainty, is not well understood.

The current study examined public responses to precision medicine research, focusing on reactions toward (a) uncertainty about the scientific impact of sharing data for research, and (b) uncertainty about the privacy, security, or intended uses of participant data.

U.S. adults (N = 674; 51.9% male; 50% non-Hispanic white; Mage = 42.23) participated in an online experimental survey. Participants read a manipulated news article about precision medicine research that conveyed either certainty or uncertainty of each type (scientific, data). Participants then rated their attitudes toward the research, trust in the researchers, and willingness to join a cohort. We tested direct and mediated paths between message condition and outcomes and examined individual characteristics as moderators.

Overall attitudes were positive and a majority of participants (65%) reported being somewhat or very likely to participate in precision medicine research if invited. Conveying uncertainty of either type had no overall main effect on outcomes. Instead, those who reported perceiving greater uncertainty had lower attitudes, trust, and willingness to join, while those with more tolerance for uncertainty, support for science, and scientific understanding responded favorably to the scientific uncertainty disclosure.

Findings suggest responses to precision medicine research uncertainty are nuanced and that successful cohort enrollment may be well-supported by a transparent approach to communicating with prospective participants.