Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
Department of Rheumatology and General Internal Medicine, Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, UK.
Trials. 2022 Jul 29;23(1):609. doi: 10.1186/s13063-022-06542-z.
Hypertension is the biggest contributor to the global cardiovascular burden with evidence for ethnic differences in treatment response and outcomes. Under-representation of ethnic minorities in clinical research is well known, and despite wide-ranging public engagement events by the Glasgow Blood Pressure Clinic team, there was a lack of participation of ethnic minorities in both engagement activities and clinical trials conducted by them. This study aims to explore the awareness and knowledge of hypertension and the facilitators and barriers to participation in hypertension clinical research among South Asian (SA) and African (AFR) communities in Glasgow.
A survey questionnaire was co-developed with representatives from South Asian (SA) and African (AFR) patients and community members in Glasgow to understand awareness and knowledge of hypertension and enablers and barriers to participation in clinical research. The survey was distributed to adults (aged > 18) years of SA or AFR ancestry at public engagement events at venues that were frequently visited by these two communities in Glasgow.
The survey response rate was 337 (67.4%) consisting of 242 (71.8%) South Asian (SA) and 56 (16.9%) African (AFR) respondents. Thirty-nine questionnaires were excluded because of incompletion. Most of the respondents were not born in the UK and were in the 35-53-year group (AFR 29 (51%), SA 113 (47%)). The proportion living in the most deprived (SIMD 1) and least deprived (SIMD 5) was respectively 26 (12.4%) and 34 (16.2%) for SA and 20 (42.6%) and 2 (4.3%) for AFR. There was a considerable recognition that treatment needs to be ethnicity-specific (SA/AFR = 107 (48%)/23 (45.1%)) and that current cardiovascular disease treatment guidelines were not tailored for different ethnicities 84 (38.5%)/23 (45.1%). The key enablers encouraging research participation are enhanced health information, conducting aspects of their clinical research visits/appointments at a location they frequently visited and allowing a family member to accompany them. Barriers included concerns about the use of personal information and side effects of the new treatment.
Our survey confirmed enablers and barriers to ethnic minority participation in research. We find improving and evolving awareness and beliefs among the ethnic minority population including community leaders. Thus, continual review of researchers' beliefs and attitudes is also essential to ensure engagement activities keep up with these changing perceptions.
高血压是全球心血管疾病负担的最大贡献者，有证据表明治疗反应和结果存在种族差异。少数族裔在临床研究中的代表性不足是众所周知的，尽管格拉斯哥血压诊所团队进行了广泛的公众参与活动，但少数族裔在参与活动和他们进行的临床试验中都缺乏参与。本研究旨在探讨南亚（SA）和非裔（AFR）社区对高血压的认识和知识，以及参与高血压临床研究的促进因素和障碍。
与格拉斯哥的南亚（SA）和非裔（AFR）患者和社区成员的代表共同制定了一份调查问卷，以了解对高血压的认识和知识，以及参与临床研究的促进因素和障碍。该调查在格拉斯哥两个社区经常光顾的场所的公众参与活动中向年龄在 18 岁以上的南亚或非裔成年人（SA 或 AFR 血统）分发。
调查回复率为 337 人（67.4%），其中 242 人（71.8%）为南亚人（SA），56 人（16.9%）为非裔（AFR）。39 份问卷因不完整而被排除在外。大多数受访者并非在英国出生，年龄在 35-53 岁之间（AFR 29 人（51%），SA 113 人（47%））。分别有 26 人（12.4%）和 34 人（16.2%）的 SA 和分别有 20 人（42.6%）和 2 人（4.3%）的 AFR 居住在最贫困（SIMD1）和最不贫困（SIMD5）地区。相当多的人认为治疗需要针对特定种族（SA/AFR=107（48%）/23（45.1%）），而且目前的心血管疾病治疗指南不针对不同种族（84（38.5%）/23（45.1%））。鼓励参与研究的主要促进因素是增强健康信息，在他们经常光顾的地点进行部分临床研究访问/预约，并允许家庭成员陪伴他们。障碍包括对个人信息使用和新治疗副作用的担忧。
我们的调查证实了少数族裔参与研究的促进因素和障碍。我们发现，需要提高和改变少数族裔人口的意识和信念，包括社区领袖。因此，持续审查研究人员的信念和态度也是必要的，以确保参与活动跟上这些不断变化的观念。
