title: Racial differences in parents' distrust of medicine and research.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess and compare the attitudes and trust that African American and white parents have toward their children participating in research.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-administered, cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of parents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary Care Center at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh from August 2004 through April 2005.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred ninety parents (140 African American and 50 white parents).
  
  
  METHODS
  Parental distrust of medical research as measured by a summative score of distrusting responses to 8 questions assessing trust in research.
  
  
  RESULTS
  African American parents had significantly greater distrust than white parents (67% vs 50%, P = .04). Education was also associated with having significantly greater distrust (74% of those with <high school education vs 44% of college graduates, P = .03). However, African American race remained a predictor of distrust even when education was controlled for (odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.01-5.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The degree of parental distrust toward medical research was significantly greater among African American parents. Parental distrust may be a barrier to enrollment of African American children in clinical research. Strategies for overcoming the higher level of distrust in African American parents are warranted for ensuring adequate representation of African American children in clinical research.
authors.affiliation: General Academic Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 3705 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2583, USA. kumaravel.rajakumar@chp.edu
authors.forename: Kumaravel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rajakumar
authors.forename: Stephen B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Musa
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Almario
authors.forename: Mary A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Garza
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D035843:Biomedical Research; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D018579:Patient Selection; D010372:Pediatrics; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D035502:Trust; D044465:White People / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult