Population’s perspectives toward biobanks in scientific research: a study from Jordan

Figures & data

Table 1 Demographics and socioeconomic characteristics of the study population

Characteristics		Count (n=476)	%
Gender	Female	248	52
	Male	228	48
Age (years)	18–29	281	59.0
	30–39	93	19.5
	40–49	44	9.2
	Over 50	102	21.5
Education level (degree)	High school or less	33	7.0
	Undergraduate	310	67.3
	Graduate	122	25.7
Residence	Village	104	22.3
	City	268	57.5
	Capital	94	20.2
Monthly income (JOD)	<500	207	44.1
	500–1,000	151	32.2
	>1,000	111	23.7

Abbreviation: JOD, Jordanian Dinar.

Table 2 Participants’ previous research experience and knowledge

Participants’ characteristics		Prior participation in research				Prior knowledge about biobanks
		Yes	No	Refused	P-value	Low	Medium	High	P-value
Accumulative %		46.4	50	3.6		59.5	35.8	4.7
Gender	Female	45.1	51.2	3.7	0.781	57.9	36.4	5.8	0.487
	Male	48.2	48.6	3.2		61.3	35.1	3.6
Age (years)	18–29	41.9	53.4	4.7	0.099	59.4	37.3	3.3	0.138
	30–39	53.8	44.1	2.2		65.2	27.2	7.6
	Over 40	52.7	46.2	1.1		53.7	40.0	6.3
Education level (degree)	High school or less	25.0	75.0	0.0	0.002a	82.1	14.3	3.6	0.004a
	Undergraduate	43.7	52.2	4.1		58.1	39.0	2.9
	Graduate	59.7	37.8	2.5		58.0	32.8	9.2
Residence	Village	49.0	47.1	3.8	0.867	64.4	31.7	4.0	0.113
	City	45.7	51.7	2.6		59.7	36.9	3.4
	Capital	46.2	49.5	4.3		53.8	36.6	9.7
Monthly income (JOD)	<500	41.4	55.7	3.0	0.238	62.7	34.8	2.5	0.181
	500–1,000	50.0	45.3	4.7		58.1	37.2	4.7
	>1,000	53.7	43.5	2.8		54.1	37.6	8.3
	N=476

Note:

a P<0.05.

Abbreviation: JOD, Jordanian Dinar.

Table 3 Participants attitudes toward sample donation and biobanking

		Biobanks have an important role in promoting medical research	You might donate bio-specimens for research	Have you been asked to store donated bio-specimens for future research	I support the establishment of biobanks
Accumulative %		87.1	84.9	79	90
Gender	Female	90.2	86.9	83.2	92.2
	Male	83.4	83.4	76.1	88.8
Age (years)	18–29	92.2	83.4	80.2	89.6
	30–39	82.1	84.9	76.3	88.1
	Over 40	87.1	90.4	82	95.7
Education level (degree)	High school	85.7	85.7	75	85.8
	Undergraduate	89	84.9	81.3	90.1
	Graduate	82.3	85.6	76.6	92.5
Residence	Village	79.8	82.7	73.8	87.3
	City	87.9	85.7	81.4	92.6
	Capital	92.6	86.2	82.6	89.2
Income (JOD)	<500	86.7	86.2	81.6	90.1
	500–1,000	85.3	82.7	80	89.3
	>1,000	90.7	86.1	76.1	92.7
Prior participation in research	Yes	84.8	86.2	79.3	91.7
	No	89.2	85.7	80.1	90.4
	Refused	87.6	62.6	81.3	81.3
Knowledge of biobanks	Low	85	83.2	77.4	89.8
	Medium	89.2	87.3	82.6	91.5
	High	95.4**	90.9	85.7*	90.5

Note:

* χ²=19.2, P=0.004;

** χ²=18.1, P=0.02.

Abbreviation: JOD, Jordanian Dinar.

Figure 1 Jordanians’ attitudes toward participation in biobanking: encouraging factors.

Figure 2 Jordanians’ attitudes and fears toward participation in biobanking: discouraging factors.

Table 4 Correlation of different factors with the willingness of participants to donate bio-specimens for future research

Factors that positively correlate with willingness to donate samples for storage/reuse in future research#	rs (p)	Factors that negatively correlate with willingness to donate samples for storage/reuse in future research ^#	rs (p)
Sample donation is considered a good deed in your religion	0.474**	I do not feel comfortable conducting experiments on me or on samples that belong to me	−0.198**
Trust biomedical research and researchers	0.465**	High prior knowledge about biobank Fear of the negative effects on my privacy and confidentiality	0.126** 0.124*
Biobanks have an important role in promoting medical research	0.411**	No direct benefits form participation	−0.117*
Help people suffering from an illness	0.325**	Research procedure is unclear	−0.106*
Availability of consent process	0.352**	Factors that do not correlate with willingness to donate samples for storage/reuse in future research	rs (p)
Because of the information provided about the importance of the study	0.324**	I do not have time to participate	0.011 (0.817)
Contribute to the development of society and knowledge	0.292**	Future studies could reveal stigmatizing information	0.059 (0.206)
Obtain material returns for participation	0.162**	Fear of using samples in religiously prohibited research	0.063 (0.178)
Availability of test result	0.156*	Fear of sample exploitation by commercial and governmental bodies	0.007 0.841
To get free tests and medications	0.147*
Measures to ensure privacy and confidentiality	0.134*

Notes:

# Statistically significant result.

* Statistically significant result at P<0.01.

** Statistically significant result at P<0.001.