# A paired survey study on community perceptions of clinical trials: Shaping outcomes across medical fields

## TL;DR

This study shows that a short educational session can improve underrepresented groups' willingness to join clinical trials.

## Contribution

A community-focused educational intervention significantly improved perceptions and willingness to participate in clinical trials.

## Key findings

- Participants showed increased comfort with clinical trial participation after the intervention.
- Belief in protections and willingness to participate improved significantly.
- Comfort in skin-related trials increased notably among participants.

## Abstract

Underrepresentation of people of color in clinical trials limits equity in research and treatment outcomes. This study evaluated the impact of a brief, community-focused educational intervention on perceptions and willingness to participate. Participants attended 30-minute sessions (9 virtual, 2 in-person). Identical pre- and post-surveys were analyzed using paired t-tests with Bonferroni correction. Eighty-three participants (90.5% Black, 88.4% female; mean age 46.3) showed significant improvements in comfort with participation, randomization, belief in protections, willingness to participate, and comfort in skin-related trials (all p < 0.05). Brief education may improve understanding and participation attitudes in underrepresented groups.