Perceptions of Research Participation among a Sample of Florida Residents Aged 50 and Over Reporting Dementia

As the population ages, the prevalence of dementia will increase. More research is needed; however, low rates of research participation, especially by older adults, hinder progress. Data came from HealthStreet, a University of Florida community engagement program in which community health workers assess community members for their health conditions. Adults 50 and over were included in these analyses; their perceptions of health research studies were assessed. Our sample had an average age of 60.5 years and 4.3% reported dementia (n = 4,881). Overall, older adults reported a high willingness to participate in research. Individuals who reported dementia had 0.64 times the odds of reporting willingness to participate in a research study that required an overnight stay, compared to those who did not report dementia (95% CI: 0.45-0.89). We report on willingness to participate in research in a more granular basis than has been previously done. Community members reporting dementia, compared to those without, were as or more likely to desire future participation in health research. However, barriers to participation remain and must be addressed.

Automated summary

As the population ages, the prevalence of dementia is expected to increase. However, low research participation rates among older adults have been hindering progress. This study, which utilized data from HealthStreet, a community engagement program, found that older adults generally have a high willingness to participate in research, but individuals with dementia are less likely to participate in studies that require overnight stays.