Asian women are less likely to express interest in infertility research.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the differences among racial and ethnic groups in their willingness to participate in medical infertility research. We further explored these differences within racial and ethnic subcategories to gain a broader understanding of minority patients' willingness to participate in infertility research.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study.


METHODS
University fertility center.


METHODS
One thousand forty-nine women presenting for reproductive care.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Willingness to be contacted for recruitment to ongoing research.


RESULTS
Asians were less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to express willingness to be contacted regarding research (odds ratio 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.33; 0.57), as were Middle Eastern women. Decreased willingness was seen in all Asian subcategories except Vietnamese. Women born outside the United States were less likely to consent to be contacted than those born in the United States.


CONCLUSIONS
Asian and Middle Eastern patients are less likely than non-Hispanic Whites to express interest in research participation in the infertility clinic setting. Strategies to target these women for research recruitment are necessary to achieve parity in both research participation and assisted reproductive technology outcomes.
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California. Electronic address: Erica.johnstone@ucsfmedctr.org.
Erica
E
Johnstone
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California.
Julia R
JR
Sandler
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California.
Carolyne
C
Addauan-Andersen
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California.
Sae H
SH
Sohn
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California.
Victor Y
VY
Fujimoto
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D035843:Biomedical Research; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D010358:Patient Participation; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D045808:Refusal to Participate / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000523:psychology*; D012923:Social Class; D036302:Therapeutic Human Experimentation