Beyond the Barriers: Factors that Influence African Americans to Participate in Research

The objective of the paper is to describe educational profiles and motivations for health related research study participation of a distinct minority cohort, in a non-clinical setting. Many respondents (n=119) participated in at least two studies and reported that the main motivator was having a relative with the studied disease. More than 65% of this cohort had earned a bachelor degree or higher compared to 40% of those that had not participated in a health related research study. This study also documented that African Americans who participate in health related research studies are civic minded individuals that understand informed consent and are willing to submit a variety of biological samples for research.