Project Summary/Abstract
Title: Examining misinformation correction strategies to encourage clinical trial participation amongst
Black Americans.
In order to contribute to clinical trial diversity, this research seeks to address clinical trial disparities in the
Black community by focusing on the misinformation swirling on social media. This ethnic group has
historically been the target and victim of unethical medical experiments, most notably the Tuskegee
Experiment in the US. Some argue that Black individuals’ mistrust of clinical trials stems from the fear that
medical research will cause sterilization, and the association between this misconception and clinical trials
is based on the historical trauma that the Black community experienced in the past. Black people are still
concerned about medical abuse and skeptical of the health care system. Psychological barriers such as
fear and mistrust easily invite misconceptions, which will then prevent individuals from making a
reasonable decision. When it comes to health-related misinformation, this is even more problematic,
putting public health in danger. Extant research, however, only rarely discusses how to address
misinformation to increase enrollment in clinical trials. To address the gaps in the literature, the current
research project proposes two experiments to find ways (1) to strategically debunk and counter
misconceptions by dissociating historical trauma and medical research using corrective interventions and
(2) to seek ways to partner with same-race doctor influencers on social media to effectively deliver the
message to the Black population. The first experiment will test how the factual elaboration debunking
strategy will affect willingness to participate in clinical research through enhanced perceived social norms,
self-efficacy, and attitudes in order to understand the role of corrective intervention in decision-making.
The second experiment will test how same-race doctor influencers might effectively deliver the corrective
intervention and strengthen sense of community to increase intention to participate in clinical trials.
Therefore, this research project aims to contribute to both clinical trial research and health care
professionals’ knowledge of how to tackle psychological barriers derived from historical trauma and how
to better communicate about clinical trials in a more relatable and accessible manner to increase
enrollment in clinical trials by Black Americans.
