Belief in Research, Religious Coping, and Willingness to Participate in Clinical Trials Among African American Patients With Hematologic Malignancies: A Pilot Study

The African American (AA) population has a higher incidence and inferior outcomes in most hematologic malignancies when compared to the non- Hispanic White population. The AA population remains grossly underrepresented in clinical trials, yet few studies have evaluated the underrepresentation in the context of belief in research and willingness to participate in clinical trials. The objectives of this study were to determine if a relationship exists between belief in research and willingness to participate, and to assess the feasibility of recruiting AA patients with hematologic malignancies for cancer clinical trials. The study recruited 31 patients with acute leukemia, lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and multiple myeloma. Questionnaires were used to assess belief in research, religious coping, and willingness to participate. An oncology nurse navigator assisted with recruitment, obtaining consent, and data collection. Study results showed that 63% of participants believed in clinical trials and were willing to participate, and 74% were not informed of clinical trials. A significant association between education and belief in research (P = .01) was observed, yet no relationship was found between belief in research and willingness to participate. Further studies are warranted to investigate the obstacles to clinical trial participation among this population.