A comparison of veteran and nonveteran motivations and reasons for participating in clinical trials.
OBJECTIVE
Knowledge of distinct motivations and reasons toward or against future trial participation is invaluable to any organization conducting trial research. Study delays often occur due to lack of recruitment. This study's primary objective was to compare veteran and nonveteran motivations and reasons.


METHODS
People in two outpatient waiting rooms were approached. The questionnaire assessed motivation toward trial involvement through use of five-point Likert-type scales and hypothetical trial scenarios; it also analyzed reasons for participation through subject ranking of reasons.


RESULTS
Veterans were more likely to participate in a trial in which all participants received the active treatment (p = 0.025). Veterans had different reasons for participation than nonveterans. Specifically, veterans felt altruism and "paying back" people who treated them were more important (p = 0.024 and p = 0.003) while financial compensation for volunteering was less important (p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Knowledge of the varying reasons for participation could potentially aid recruitment efforts.
Campbell
Heather M
HM
University of New Mexico College of Pharmacy, 2502 Marble, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001, USA.
Raisch
Dennis W
DW
Sather
Mike R
MR
Warren
Stuart R
SR
Segal
Alissa R
AR
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000533:Altruism; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009516:New Mexico; D018579:Patient Selection; D035842:Research Subjects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014728:Veterans / Q000523:psychology*