SubjectWell recently fielded a survey engaging over 300 type 2 diabetes patients. The findings showed that diabetes patients demonstrated high overall interest in clinical trial participation, but secondary conditions caused by their diabetes can shift that interest higher or lower.
According to the CDC, more than 33 million Americans have type 2 diabetes. As patients’ length of time with the condition increases, secondary conditions are more likely to appear, including eye, gum, cardiovascular and chronic kidney diseases, as well as mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. The likelihood of having a secondary condition increases dramatically with the amount of time living with the disease. For patients in our survey with a type 2 diabetes diagnosis in the last year, approximately 56% reported having a secondary condition. Between one and four years since their diagnosis, 61% of patients reported having a secondary condition. For patients with more than four years since a type 2 diabetes diagnosis, 82% reported having a secondary condition.
Type 2 diabetes patients showed high interest (78%) in trial participation, regardless of secondary conditions. But looking closer, specific secondary conditions influenced the level of clinical trial participation interest.
Patients with certain secondary conditions reported being more interested in participation.
Patients with anxiety, neuropathy, or gum issues were significantly more likely to participate in a clinical trial than patients with cardiovascular and chronic kidney problems.
Patients who reported a secondary condition and their interest in clinical trial participation.
[subjectwell_infographic open aos width=”100″ type=”bar-horizontal” value=”84″ color=”0″ label=”84% of patients with gum conditions were likely to participate in a clinical trial”]
[subjectwell_infographic aos width=”100″ type=”bar-horizontal” value=”80″ color=”1″ label=”80% of patient with neuropathy were likely to participate in a clinical trial”]
[subjectwell_infographic aos width=”100″ type=”bar-horizontal” value=”80″ color=”2″ label=”80% of patients with anxiety were likely to participate in a clinical trial”]
[subjectwell_infographic aos width=”100″ type=”bar-horizontal” value=”78″ color=”3″ label=”78% of patients with diabetes were likely to participate in a clinical trial”]
[subjectwell_infographic aos width=”100″ type=”bar-horizontal” value=”67″ color=”4″ label=”67% of patients with cardiovascular problems were likely to participate in a clinical trial”]
[subjectwell_infographic close aos width=”100″ type=”bar-horizontal” value=”65″ color=”6″ label=”65% of patients with chronic kidney problems were likely to participate in a clinical trial”]
Patients showed high interest in trials for both type 2 diabetes and secondary conditions.
Given the potential impact of secondary conditions, we also asked patients about their interest in different types of trials, from treatment of type 2 diabetes alone compared to a trial for a treatment of a secondary condition. Patients were most likely to respond with equal interest in a clinical trial for either type 2 diabetes or a secondary condition, with the next greatest interest in trials for treating type 2 diabetes alone.
Patients’ interest in clinical trial participation by trial type.*
[subjectwell_infographic open aos width=”100″ type=”bar-horizontal” value=”51″ color=”0″ label=”51% percent of all patients were equally interested in a clinical trial for type 2 diabetes and a secondary condition”]
[subjectwell_infographic close aos width=”100″ type=”bar-horizontal” value=”23″ color=”1″ label=”23% of all patients were interested in clinical trials related to type 2 diabetes alone”]
Demographic factors affected patients’ interest in clinical trial participation.
Overall, patients demonstrated more interest in participating in a clinical trial when common motivators like compensation, free healthcare, and helping others with the same condition applied. However, we observed a significant difference in motivation between racial demographics.
Patients’ interest in clinical trial participation if:
[subjectwell_infographic open aos width=”50″ type=”bar-vertical” value=”89|89|75″ key=”Hispanic patients|Black patients|White patients” key-inline label=”Compensation was incorporated”]
[subjectwell_infographic aos width=”50″ type=”bar-vertical” value=”97|89|74″ key=”Hispanic patients|Black patients|White patients” key-inline label=”Free healthcare was incorporated”]
[subjectwell_infographic aos width=”50″ type=”bar-vertical” value=”97|89|78″ key=”Hispanic patients|Black patients|White patients” key-inline label=”They could help others with the same condition”]
[subjectwell_infographic close aos width=”50″ type=”bar-vertical” value=”94|88|70″ key=”Hispanic patients|Black patients|White patients” key-inline label=”A healthy food/exercise plan was incorporated”]
Key motivators are integral to ensure representative clinical research.
Type 2 diabetes patients’ interest in trial participation varied mostly based on their secondary conditions, and, as we’ve seen before, common motivators elicited a greater amount of interest from patients of color.
Despite the variance based on secondary conditions, interest in clinical trial participation remains high. However, with such varied interest across demographics, it is also important to keep key motivators for patients in mind (i.e., patient compensation and free healthcare) to ensure a representative patient population.
*Graph shows only trial types with high interest levels reported by respondents.
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