Key issues for elderly patients contemplating clinical trial participation

ABSTRACT

This pilot study explored issues important to enrollment in clinical trials by elderly patients. We surveyed and interviewed elderly patients who had been asked to participate in trials. The information covered general attitudes toward research and specific aspects of trial recruitment. Elderly patients had favorable attitudes toward research. This favorable attitude was significantly stronger in men than in women and stronger in Whites than non-Whites but not significantly so. Altruistic motives, physician recommendations, and individual assessment of inconveniences, benefits, and risks of trial participation drove decisions. Elderly patients have positive views of research; however, this will only facilitate trial participation if patients perceive the commitment of enrolling, the potential risks, and possible side effects as reasonable.

KEYWORDS:

• Aged
• health care disparities
• patient participation

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Debra Marco, Emergency Medicine Research Manager, and Angela DiSabatino, Manager of Cardiovascular Clinical Trials at CCHS, for helping us to identify eligible patients for this study.

Funding

This publication was made possible by the Delaware INBRE program, supported by a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences - NIGMS (8 P20 GM103446-13) from the National Institutes of Health.

Additional information

Funding

This publication was made possible by the Delaware INBRE program, supported by a grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences - NIGMS (8 P20 GM103446-13) from the National Institutes of Health.