Variations in racial and ethnic groups' trust in researchers associated with willingness to participate in research

Low enrollment of non-White adults in U.S. biomedical research is often attributed to mistrust. This study examined trust dimensions across five racial/ethnic groups in New Jersey. 293 adults completed surveys assessing trust in researchers and willingness to participate in various research activities. Factor analysis revealed three trust aspects: researchers as fiduciaries, racial/ethnic equity in research, and transparency. The relationship between mistrust and willingness to participate varied across groups. Chinese respondents' low trust mediated their low interest in research beyond surveys, while Hispanic respondents' low trust in research equity didn't deter participation in blood and genetic analysis. The study cautions against assuming a generic association between trust and research participation, advocating for group-specific assessments.

William T. Hu, Stephanie M. Bergren, Dana K. Dychtwald, Yiming Ma, XinQi Dong