Study finds association between trust of researchers and willingness to participate in AD biomarker research

01/09/2025

A recent survey conducted as part of the larger project, Promoting Cultural Awareness and Diversity in Research about Alzheimer's Disease and Cognitive Health (AD-REACH), which is aimed at creating participant-centered recruitment materials for Black older adults, examined the association between trust of researchers and willingness to participate in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias (ADRD) biomarker research. The study surveyed 399 older adults aged 55 and above, including Black and non-Hispanic White individuals who had never previously engaged in ADRD research. The findings indicated that higher levels of trust in researchers were associated with lower levels of hesitancy to enroll in ADRD biomarker studies, even after controlling for sociodemographic factors and self-perceived knowledge of ADRD. Participants who expressed very high trust were also more interested in receiving personal results from brain scans and memory tests. Findings were published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia: Behavior & Socioeconomics of Aging. https://doi.org/10.1002/bsa3.70024