2019 Perceptions and Insights Study: Part 1

Editor’s note: The best way to learn about people’s experience with clinical research is to ask them directly. That’s why we value the biennial Perceptions & Insights Study conducted by the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP). Every two years, they ask thousands of people worldwide (those who have participated in clinical trials and those who have not) about clinical research. In the first of our two-part infographic series, we focus on a subset of CISCRP’s findings on general perceptions of clinical research.

“Reality is ultimately a selective act of perception and interpretation. A shift in our perception and interpretation enables us to break old habits and awaken new possibilities for balance, healing, and transformation.” – David Simon, author and producer.

Perceptions often guide decision-making. In order to better understand health decisions – such as whether to participate in a clinical trial – we need to gather a clear picture of how people perceive clinical research as a care option.

According to CISCRP’s 2019 Perceptions & Insights Study, people are motivated to participate in research for altruistic reasons like helping advance science and helping others who may suffer from the disease. The top two barriers to participation are fear of taking a risk with their health (including side effects) and risks of clinical trials in general. Insights like these can inform how we talk about and promote clinical research to improve participation.

The CISCRP data also suggests that once someone participates in clinical research, they are either very willing or somewhat willing to participate in another research study (96% combined). For those who haven’t previously participated in a trial, they still show a high level of interest in participation (80% willing or somewhat willing).

The data highlighted in the CISCRP survey shows that people are interested in clinical research as a care option. Ultimately, if we can build upon their willingness to consider clinical research by designing the trial experience in a way that helps mitigate the barriers, we can perhaps increase the number of people who participate in research and help them navigate their health care journey in new ways.

For the full CISCRP 2019 Perceptions and Insights Study, click on this link: https://www.ciscrp.org/services/research-services/perceptions-and-insights-study/