Document Type
Article
Publication Title
Int J Environ Res Public Health
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Black Americans remain significantly underrepresented and understudied in research. Community-based interventions have been increasingly recognized as an effective model for reckoning with clinical trial participation challenges amongst underrepresented groups, yet a paucity of studies implement this approach. The present study sought to gain insight into Black male participants' perception of clinical trials before and after participating in a community-based team lifestyle intervention in the United States.
METHODS: Black Impact, a 24-week community-based lifestyle intervention, applied the American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7 (LS7) framework to assess changes in the cardiovascular health of seventy-four Black male participants partaking in weekly team-based physical activities and LS7-themed education and having their social needs addressed. A subset of twenty participants completed an exit survey via one of three semi-structured focus groups aimed at understanding the feasibility of interventions, including their perceptions of participating in clinical trials. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a content analysis, which involved systematically identifying, coding, categorizing, and interpreting the primary patterns of the data.
RESULTS: The participants reported a positive change in their perceptions of clinical trials based on their experience with a community-based lifestyle intervention. Three prominent themes regarding their perceptions of clinical trials prior to the intervention were as follows: (1) History of medical abuse; (2) Lack of diversity amongst research teams and participants; and (3) A positive experience with racially concordant research teams. Three themes noted to influence changes in their perception of clinical trials based on their participation in Black Impact were as follows: (1) Building trust with the research team; (2) Increasing awareness about clinical trials; and (3) Motivating participation through community engagement efforts.
CONCLUSIONS: Improved perceptions of participating in clinical trials were achieved after participation in a community-based intervention. This intervention may provide a framework by which to facilitate clinical trial participation among Black men, which must be made a priority so that Black men are "more than just a number" and no longer "receiving the short end of the stick".
DOI
10.3390/ijerph21040449
Publication Date
4-6-2024
Recommended Citation
Metlock, Faith E; Addison, Sarah; McKoy, Alicia; Yang, Yesol; Hope, Aarhea; Joseph, Joshua J; Zhang, Jing; Williams, Amaris; Gray, Darrell M; Gregory, John; and Nolan, Timiya S, "More than Just a Number: Perspectives from Black Male Participants on Community-Based Interventions and Clinical Trials to Address Cardiovascular Health Disparities." (2024). Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles. 32.
https://scholarlyworks.ohiohealth.com/ambulatory-primary-care-articles/32