Issues in Biomedical Research: What Do Hispanics Think?

OBJECTIVE: To examine barriers and facilitators of biomedical research participation among Hispanics in a rural community in Washington State. METHODS: Questionnaires addressed socio-demographics, health care access, and barriers and facilitators of participation in biomedical studies. This is a descriptive analysis of the findings. RESULTS: Barriers include the need to care for family members (82%), fear of having to pay for research treatments (74%), cultural beliefs (65%), lack of time (75%) and trust (71%), and the degree of hassle (73%). Facilitators include having a friend/relative with the disease being researched (80%) and monetary compensation (73%). CONCLUSION: Researchers should be mindful of these facilitators and barriers when recruiting for biomedical research studies.