A comparison of veteran and nonveteran motivations and reasons for participating in clinical trials

• Published in: Military medicine Vol. 172; no. 1; pp. 27 - 30
• Main Authors: Campbell, Heather M, Raisch, Dennis W, Sather, Mike R, Warren, Stuart R, Segal, Alissa R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.01.2007
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Altruism; Clinical trials; Clinical Trials as Topic; Compensation; Cross-Sectional Studies; Decision Making; Female; Humans; Hypotheses; Male; Middle Aged; Motivation; New Mexico; Participation; Patient Selection; Questionnaires; R&D; Research & development; Research Subjects; Review boards; Surveys and Questionnaires; United States; Veterans; Veterans - psychology; New Mexico; United States; United States > US
• ISSN: 0026-4075; 1930-613X
• DOI: 10.7205/MILMED.172.1.27

Knowledge of distinct motivations and reasons toward or against future trial participation is invaluable to any organization conducting trial research. Study delays often occur due to lack of recruitment. This study's primary objective was to compare veteran and nonveteran motivations and reasons. People in two outpatient waiting rooms were approached. The questionnaire assessed motivation toward trial involvement through use of five-point Likert-type scales and hypothetical trial scenarios; it also analyzed reasons for participation through subject ranking of reasons. Veterans were more likely to participate in a trial in which all participants received the active treatment (p = 0.025). Veterans had different reasons for participation than nonveterans. Specifically, veterans felt altruism and "paying back" people who treated them were more important (p = 0.024 and p = 0.003) while financial compensation for volunteering was less important (p < 0.001). Knowledge of the varying reasons for participation could potentially aid recruitment efforts.