Many U.S. Adults Unlikely to Enroll in Drug Trials for Dementia Prevention

TUESDAY, Nov. 8, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Just over one in 10 adults aged 50 to 64 say they are very likely to participate in a dementia drug prevention trial, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in the Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Chelsea G. Cox, from University of Michigan School of Public Health in Ann Arbor, and colleagues examined characteristics of U.S. adults with self-reported likelihood to participate in dementia drug prevention clinical trials. Analysis included 1,028 respondents (aged 50 to 64 years) to an online survey.

The researchers found that 12 percent of respondents reported being very likely to participate in a dementia prevention trial, 32 percent somewhat likely, and 56 percent not likely. Higher likelihood to participate was associated with higher perceived risk of dementia (odds ratio, 2.17), a positive family history of dementia (odds ratio, 1.75), and having discussed dementia prevention with a doctor (odds ratio, 2.20). Sociodemographic characteristics did not impact likelihood to participate. Among those indicating they were not likely to participate, 39 percent said they did not want to be a guinea pig, 23 percent thought dementia would not affect them, 22 percent thought there would be too high a chance for harm, 15 percent were concerned about how much time it would take, and 5 percent reported fear of learning information about oneself.

"Findings suggest that recruitment interventions focused on increasing knowledge of dementia risk and prevention trials and involving health care providers may be effective tools to improve enrollment rates, regardless of target community," the authors write.

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