Understanding the Role of Message Frames on African-American Willingness to Participate in a Hypothetical Diabetes Prevention Study

Abstract

The objective of this research was to evaluate the impact of message framing (e.g., highlighting health disparities vs. progress toward reducing disparities) on willingness to enroll in a hypothetical research study. African-American (AA, n = 1513) and White (n = 362) adults completed an online survey about diabetes, health behaviors including physical activity, and attitudes about research. AA participants were randomized to view a general message (same message as provided to all White participants) or 1 of 4 alternate messages that framed the need for people to participate in research in terms of race and/or health disparities. Among AAs, there were no differences in willingness to enroll in the study by message frame. However, individual characteristics including younger age, female sex, attitudes about research, a sense of obligation, and community responsibility were significant predictors of willingness to enroll in the study. AA participants who received the general message were equally willing as White participants to enroll in the study. Highlighting race and health disparities in study recruitment materials may not be needed to increase interest among AAs. Factors beyond race appear to be stronger motivators for participation. Unlike previous research, racial framing did not suppress motivation to enroll in our hypothetical study.

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the Ann Arbor Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research for postdoctoral support of the first author from 2013–2015 and for funds to conduct this research. We would also like to thank the members of the Program in Health Communication and Decision Making (PIHCD) working group for their feedback on the general concept and design of this study. PIHCD is housed within the University of Michigan Center for Bioethics and Social Sciences in Medicine (CBSSM). Finally, we would like to thank Kirsten Herold, writing coach at the University of Michigan School of Public Health Writing Lab, for her feedback on early drafts of this manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by a small grant from the Ann Arbor Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research.

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by a small grant from the Ann Arbor Department of Veterans Affairs Center for Clinical Management Research.